bijou64: A variable-length integer encoding
Summary
Bijou64 is a canonical varint encoding designed to ensure a single encoding per number, addressing canonicality weaknesses seen in LEB128. The article discusses the problem of non-canonical encodings, the two construction tricks (First Byte Double Duty and Offsets) that enforce canonicality, provides a decoding example and a length-offset table, and shares benchmarks showing bijou64’s speed advantages and comparable size. It also notes practical considerations, licensing, and how canonical encoding matters for signatures and content-addressing.