Are there any best practices for encoding binary data like images for transport in PHP using SOAP?

When encoding binary data like images for transport in PHP using SOAP, it is best practice to base64 encode the binary data before sending it. This ensures that the binary data is properly formatted for transmission over SOAP. On the receiving end, the data can be decoded from base64 back into its original binary format.

// Encode binary data (image) before sending over SOAP
$imageData = file_get_contents('image.jpg');
$encodedImageData = base64_encode($imageData);

// Send encoded image data over SOAP
$client = new SoapClient("http://example.com/soap.wsdl");
$response = $client->sendImageData($encodedImageData);

// Decode received image data back into binary format
$decodedImageData = base64_decode($response);
file_put_contents('received_image.jpg', $decodedImageData);