# ssb-bfe > Binary Field Encodings (BFE) for Secure Scuttlebutt (SSB) Latest version **3.7.0** (published 2022-11-02) · LGPL-3.0 license · 0 weekly downloads ## Install ```sh npm install ssb-bfe pnpm add ssb-bfe yarn add ssb-bfe bun add ssb-bfe ``` ## Health **Score 15/100 (F)** — status: abandoned. Positive: no vulnerabilities. Warnings: low downloads; no types; no esm support. Negative: abandoned; low maintenance score. ## Facts | | | |---|---| | Version | 3.7.0 | | Published | 2022-11-02 | | First published | 2021-07-06 | | Weekly downloads | 0 | | License | LGPL-3.0 | | TypeScript types | none | | Module format | CommonJS | | Dependencies | 4 | | Unpacked size | 41.6 KB | | Known vulnerabilities | 0 | | Install scripts | no | | GitHub stars | 3 | | Author | Anders Rune Jensen | | Maintainers | arj03, chereseeriepa, happy0, staltz, pfrazee, mixmix, cel, christianbundy, andregarzia, dominictarr, noffle, ahdinosaur, regular, aljoscha-meyer, pietgeursen, luandro, cryp7ix, blakeakapita, mycognosist | ## Links - npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/ssb-bfe - Repository: https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-bfe - Issues: https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-bfe/issues - npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/ssb-bfe ## Dependencies (4) - [ssb-ref](https://npm.io/package/ssb-ref.md) ^2.16.0 - [ssb-uri2](https://npm.io/package/ssb-uri2.md) ^2.4.0 - [ssb-bfe-spec](https://npm.io/package/ssb-bfe-spec.md) ^0.8.0 - [is-canonical-base64](https://npm.io/package/is-canonical-base64.md) ^1.1.1 ## Recent versions - 3.7.0 (latest) — 2022-11-02 - 3.6.1 — 2022-10-04 - 3.6.0 — 2022-09-13 - 3.5.0 — 2022-07-19 - 3.4.0 — 2022-07-15 - 3.3.0 — 2022-05-26 - 3.2.1 — 2022-05-26 - 3.2.0 — 2022-05-22 - 3.1.4 — 2022-05-20 - 3.1.3 — 2021-10-08 - 3.1.2 — 2021-10-04 - 3.1.1 — 2021-08-27 - 3.1.0 — 2021-08-27 - 3.0.2 — 2021-08-24 - 3.0.1 — 2021-08-23 - … 16 more at https://npm.io/package/ssb-bfe/versions ## README # SSB BFE Javascript implementation of the [SSB binary field encodings] spec. The spec only has one type of **nil**, but JavaScript has two: `null` and `undefined`. ssb-bfe will treat these two values in a way that mirrors what JSON.stringify does: - BFE Encoding an **object** with a `null` field becomes an object with the **nil** marker - Similar to `JSON.stringify({a: null}) === '{"a": null}'` - BFE Encoding an **array** with a `null` element becomes an array with the **nil** marker - Similar to `JSON.stringify([null]) === '[null]'` - BFE Encoding an **object** with a `undefined` field will **omit** that field - Similar to `JSON.stringify({a: undefined}) === '{}'` - BFE Encoding an **array** with an `undefined` element becomes an array with the **nil** marker - Similar to `JSON.stringify([undefined]) === '[null]'` ## API ### `encode(input)` Takes any JavaScript primitive and returns its encoded counterpart. Is applied recursively in case the input is an object or an array. All inputs are converted to [TFD] Buffers, except for objects, arrays, and numbers, which remain the same. ### `decode(input)` Takes an encoded value (such as the output from `encode`) and returns the decoded counterparts as JavaScript primitives. ### `decodeTypeFormat(input, typeName, formatName)` Takes an encoded value (such as the output from `encode`), a typeName and formatName and returns the decoded counterparts as JavaScript primitives. This is much faster than decode if you know the type. ### `bfeTypes` Returns the `bfe.json` object that can be used to look up information based on Type and Field. Example: ``` const { bfeTypes } = require('ssb-bfe') const classic_key_size = bfeTypes[0][0].data_length ``` ### `bfeNamedTypes` Returns the `bfe.json` object converted to a map where the keys are the type and format names. Example: ```js const { bfeNamedTypes } = require('ssb-bfe') const FEED = bfeNamedTypes['feed'] const CLASSIC_FEED_TF = Buffer.from([FEED.code, FEED.formats['classic'].code]) ``` ### `toTF(typeName, formatName)` Sometimes when you're wanting to check what sort of buffer you're handling, you want to pivot on the type and format bytes. ```js const CLASSIC_MSG_TF = Buffer.from([1, 0]) // << Did I get the right codes? if (buf.slice(0, 2).equals(CLASSIC_MSG_TF)) { // ... } ``` because remembering those codes is tricky, it's safer to use this convenience method: ```js const CLASSIC_MSG_TF = bfe.toTF('msg', 'classic') ``` If you remembered the type or format name wrong, you'll instantly get an error! ### Check whether a buffer is an encoded type Given any input, these functions tell you whether the input is of the specified type (and format, if applicable). Example: ```js const bfe = require('ssb-bfe') const x = bfe.encode('@6CAxOI3f+LUOVrbAl0IemqiS7ATpQvr9Mdw9LC4+Uv0=.ed25519') bfe.isEncodedFeedClassic(x) // true ``` List of functions: - `isEncodedFeed(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedFeedClassic(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedFeedGabbygroveV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedFeedBamboo(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedFeedBendybuttV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedFeedButtwooV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessage(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageClassic(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageGabbygroveV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageCloaked(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageBamboo(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageBendybuttV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedMessageButtwooV1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedBlob(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedBlobClassic(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncryptionKey(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncryptionKeyBox2DmDh(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncryptionKeyBox2PoboxDh(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedSignature(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedSignatureMsgEd25519(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncrypted(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncryptedBox1(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedEncryptedBox2(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedGeneric(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedGenericStringUTF8(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedGenericBoolean(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedGenericNil(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedGenericAnyBytes(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedIdentity(input) => boolean` - `isEncodedIdentityPoBox(input) => boolean` [ssb binary field encodings]: https://github.com/ssb-ngi-pointer/ssb-binary-field-encodings-spec [TFD]: https://github.com/ssbc/envelope-spec/blob/master/encoding/tfk.md --- _Source: https://npm.io/package/ssb-bfe · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._