When a data URI helps and when a normal asset URL is better
Inlining a small value can be convenient, but it changes caching, readability, and security tradeoffs.
Use data URIs for small, controlled examples…
Use data URIs for small, controlled examples where the self-contained representation is valuable. Keep production assets external when caching and independent deployment matter.
Check content-security-policy and browser behavior before using…
Check content-security-policy and browser behavior before using a data URI in an application.
Never treat encoding as access control. Anyone…
Never treat encoding as access control. Anyone who can read the page can usually read the content inside the URI.
Use the related tool carefully
This guide is paired with a browser-only utility. The tool is a practical aid for small examples and inspection; it is not a substitute for application testing, a formal data pipeline, or professional review where the decision has higher consequences.
Open the related Data URI Generator