dotifier

Encode an integer into a Gmail address using dots

Install

$ npm install --save dotifier

Usage

Server

var dotifier = require('dotifier');

Client

Dotifier can be loaded either directly, or using AMD.

Note: requires validator.js

<script type="application/javascript" src="dotifier.js"></script>

Example usage:

console.log(dotifier.encode('[e-mail]', 1));
//=> '[e-mail]'
 
console.log(dotifier.encode('[e-mail]', 9));
//=> '[e-mail]'
 
console.log(dotifier.encode('[e-mail]', 1337));
//=> '[e-mail]'
 
 
console.log(dotifier.decode('[e-mail]'));
//=> 1
 
console.log(dotifier.decode('[e-mail]'));
//=> 9
 
console.log(dotifier.decode('[e-mail]'));
//=> 1337

How it works

Gmail doesn't recognize dots as characters within usernames, meaning you can add or remove dots from a Gmail address without changing the actual destination address:

[e-mail] = [e-mail]
[e-mail]      = [e-mail]
[e-mail]    = [e-mail]

All these addresses belong to the same person. You can test this yourself if you try to sign in with your username with a dot removed or added to it. You'll still sign in to your account. Source

By treating a dot as a 1 and the absence of a dot as a 0, we can store an arbitrary binary number in a Gmail address and later retrieve it:

0  = 0b0      = [e-mail]
1  = 0b1      = [e-mail]
2  = 0b10     = [e-mail]
3  = 0b11     = [e-mail]
10 = 0b1010   = [e-mail]
43 = 0b101011 = [e-mail]

API

encode(email, integer)

Returns a string, or null if the input is invalid.

email

Required
Type: string

Gmail address to use.

integer

Required
Type: number

Integer to encode.

decode(email)

Returns an integer, or null if the input is invalid.

email

Required
Type: string

Gmail address to decode.

License

MIT © Soullesswaffle