COBS Payload Decoder

COBS payload decode without a framing zero delimiter; bounded encoded input to 128 bytes, with strict block bounds.

Description

COBS payload decode without a framing zero delimiter; bounded encoded input to 128 bytes, with strict block bounds.

COBS decoding reconstructs zeros from code-byte blocks in a zero-free payload. The outer delimiter is not part of this input.

When to use this tool

COBS payload decode without a framing zero delimiter; bounded encoded input to 128 bytes, with strict block bounds.

Prepare the supplied bytes fields for this operation.
Compare the complete example with the representation used by your own input before carrying the result into another step.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter bytes. Use the exact text syntax, units and index conventions explained below.
Run the tool. If input validation fails, correct the supplied fields before interpreting any result.
Read result.bytes. Interpret false, null and empty lists using the distinctions below; they can be valid outputs.

Require a nonempty zero-free byte list. For each code, consume code minus one following bytes, rejecting truncation; insert zero between blocks when the code is below 255 and another block follows.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and representation	Accepted input
bytes	bytes.	List of finite numbers; at most 128 entries

Output field	Interpretation
result	Object containing the named outputs below.
result.bytes	The bytes list in the ordering and representation described above.

json

{
  "input": {
    "bytes": [
      2,
      11,
      2,
      22
    ]
  },
  "output": {
    "result": {
      "bytes": [
        11,
        0,
        22
      ]
    }
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Input is a complete bounded COBS payload, without a trailing zero delimiter. No frame stream or checksum is processed.
All declared input fields are required and unexpected top-level fields are rejected. Numbers must be finite; lists are limited to 128 entries and ordinary text fields to 8,192 UTF-16 code units, with tighter limits where stated.
JSON text inputs must parse within bounded nesting and size limits. Numeric outputs outside the safe finite range are rejected; large exact integer results use decimal strings. Indexes and half-open spans are zero-based unless a rank is explicitly described as one-based.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use a stateful protocol parser when processing partial streams or validating complete packets. Retain the declared prefix width, byte order and payload-versus-frame boundary convention when composing these operations.

References

Tool behavior and example: COBS Payload Decoder — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

COBS Payload Encoder
COBS payload encode without a framing zero delimiter; bounded payload to 126 bytes, with strict block bounds.
SLIP Payload Decoder
SLIP payload unescaping using RFC 1055 END/ESC byte mappings, excluding boundary END bytes; strict invalid-escape rejection.