pro/cons generating images using base64_decode/encode

[ferum]

i wanna know wether it is practical to use base64_decode/base64_encode function of PHP so that pictures can be stored in database (BLOB type).
does it have any overhead or disadvantages that make its unpractical?

[Weedpacket]

If you're storing it as a BLOB you might as well store the binary itself and save yourself the cost of base64 coding. Better still would probably be to store the file in the filesystem and its name and path in the database; but base64 is really only useful if you're sending binary data via a text-only protocol (such as email's SMTP).

[superwormy]

If you're using MySQL, you should know that MySQL specifically reccomends AGAINST storing images in the database... and to instead store the image path in the database, and the image as a regular image in the filesystem.

Not that it can't be done, just know that its not really reccomended because of speed / space / #connections required to pull all the images out again.