Base36 byte-encoding specification

Uses the alphabet 0-9a-z case insensitively. The prefix K is chosen
to limit future clashes with english words based on
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_frequency

Author: ribasushi

Diff for: multibase.csv

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ base32upper,       B,    rfc4648 no padding,
 base32pad,         c,    rfc4648 with padding,                                     candidate
 base32padupper,    C,    rfc4648 with padding,                                     candidate
 base32z,           h,    z-base-32 (used by Tahoe-LAFS),                           draft
+base36upper,       K,    base36 [0-9a-z] case-insensitive no padding,              default
+base36,            k,    base36 [0-9a-z] case-insensitive no padding,              default
 base58flickr,      Z,    base58 flicker,                                           candidate
 base58btc,         z,    base58 bitcoin,                                           default
 base64,            m,    rfc4648 no padding,                                       default

Diff for: rfcs/Base36.md

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Base36
+
+The multibase base36 prefix is the character `k` or `K`. The digit-alphabet
+consists of 0..9 and then the case insensitive range a..z for the values 10..35
+
+## Encoding
+
+A byte array is encoded to base36 by:
+
+1. Counting the number of leading 0 bytes (Z).
+2. Interpreting the rest of the byte array as a big-endian unsigned integer (N).
+3. Concatenating a length Z string of '0' characters with the decimal
+   representation of N.
+
+A byte array is encoded to multibase base36 by prefixing its base36 encoding
+with the character `k`.
+
+## Decoding
+
+A multibase base36 encoded string is decoded by first dropping the multibase
+prefix (which must be `k` or `K`).
+
+The remaining characters are then converted to a byte array by:
+
+1. Counting the number of leading '0' characters (Z).
+2. Interpreting the rest of the character sequence as a base36 unsigned integer
+   (N).
+3. Concatenating a length Z array of NULL (0x00) bytes with N encoded as a
+   big-endian unsigned integer.
+
+## Examples
+
+Byte Array <-> Base36 Multibase:
+
+| Bytes | ==  | LC Base36 | OR | UC base36 |
+|---|---|---|---|---|
+| `[0x00, 0x01]`       | == | `"k01"`   | | `"K01"`   |
+| `[0x00, 0x00, 0xff]` | == | `"k0073"` | | `"K0073"` |
+| `[0x01, 0x00]`       | == | `"k74"`   | | `"K74"`   |
+| `[0x00, 0x01, 0x00]` | == | `"k074"`  | | `"K074"`  |

Diff for: tests/test1.csv

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ base32padupper, "CIRSWGZLOORZGC3DJPJSSAZLWMVZHS5DINFXGOIJB"
 base32hexpad, "t8him6pbeehp62r39f9ii0pbmclp7it38d5n6e891"
 base32hexpadupper, "T8HIM6PBEEHP62R39F9II0PBMCLP7IT38D5N6E891"
 base32z, "het1sg3mqqt3gn5djxj11y3msci3817depfzgqejb"
+base36, "k343ixo7d49hqj1ium15pgy1wzww5fxrid21td7l"
+base36upper, "K343IXO7D49HQJ1IUM15PGY1WZWW5FXRID21TD7L"
 base58flickr, "Ztwe7gVTeK8wswS1gf8hrgAua9fcw9reboD"
 base58btc, "zUXE7GvtEk8XTXs1GF8HSGbVA9FCX9SEBPe"
 base64, "mRGVjZW50cmFsaXplIGV2ZXJ5dGhpbmchIQ"

Diff for: tests/test2.csv

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ base32padupper, "CPFSXGIDNMFXGSIBB"
 base32hexpad, "tf5in683dc5n6i811"
 base32hexpadupper, "TF5IN683DC5N6I811"
 base32z, "hxf1zgedpcfzg1ebb"
+base36, "k2lcpzo5yikidynfl"
+base36upper, "K2LCPZO5YIKIDYNFL"
 base58flickr, "Z7Pznk19XTTzBtx"
 base58btc, "z7paNL19xttacUY"
 base64, "meWVzIG1hbmkgIQ"

Diff for: tests/test3.csv

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ base32padupper, "CNBSWY3DPEB3W64TMMQ======"
 base32hexpad, "td1imor3f41rmusjccg======"
 base32hexpadupper, "TD1IMOR3F41RMUSJCCG======"
 base32z, "hpb1sa5dxrb5s6hucco"
+base36, "kfuvrsivvnfrbjwajo"
+base36upper, "KFUVRSIVVNFRBJWAJO"
 base58flickr, "ZrTu1dk6cWsRYjYu"
 base58btc, "zStV1DL6CwTryKyV"
 base64, "maGVsbG8gd29ybGQ"

Diff for: tests/test4.csv

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ base32padupper, "CAB4WK4ZANVQW42JAEE======"
 base32hexpad, "t01smasp0dlgmsq9044======"
 base32hexpadupper, "T01SMASP0DLGMSQ9044======"
 base32z, "hybhskh3ypiosh4jyrr"
+base36, "k02lcpzo5yikidynfl"
+base36upper, "K02LCPZO5YIKIDYNFL"
 base58flickr, "Z17Pznk19XTTzBtx"
 base58btc, "z17paNL19xttacUY"
 base64, "mAHllcyBtYW5pICE"

Diff for: tests/test5.csv

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ base32padupper, "CAAAHSZLTEBWWC3TJEAQQ===="
 base32hexpad, "t0007ipbj41mm2rj940gg===="
 base32hexpadupper, "T0007IPBJ41MM2RJ940GG===="
 base32z, "hyyy813murbssn5ujryoo"
+base36, "k002lcpzo5yikidynfl"
+base36upper, "K002LCPZO5YIKIDYNFL"
 base58flickr, "Z117Pznk19XTTzBtx"
 base58btc, "z117paNL19xttacUY"
 base64, "mAAB5ZXMgbWFuaSAh"

Diff for: tests/test6.csv

@@ -9,3 +9,5 @@ base32pad, "cnbswy3dpeB3W64TMMQ======"
 base32padupper, "Cnbswy3dpeB3W64TMMQ======"
 base32hexpad, "td1imor3f41RMUSJCCG======"
 base32hexpadupper, "Td1imor3f41RMUSJCCG======"
+base36, "kfUvrsIvVnfRbjWaJo"
+base36upper, "KfUVrSIVVnFRbJWAJo"