feat: add encoder_by_name factory function

multibase/__init__.py

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     Encoding,
     decode,
     encode,
+    encoder_by_name,
     get_codec,
     get_encoding_info,
     is_encoded,

multibase/multibase.py

@@ -192,6 +192,26 @@ def decode(data, return_encoding=False):
         raise DecodingError(f"Failed to decode multibase data: {e}") from e
 
 
+def encoder_by_name(name_or_prefix):
+    """
+    Create an Encoder from a name or single-character prefix.
+
+    :param name_or_prefix: encoding name or prefix character
+    :type name_or_prefix: str
+    :return: an Encoder instance
+    :rtype: Encoder
+    :raises UnsupportedEncodingError: if the encoding is not supported
+    """
+    if name_or_prefix in ENCODINGS_LOOKUP:
+        return Encoder(name_or_prefix)
+
+    prefix_bytes = name_or_prefix.encode("utf-8")
+    if prefix_bytes in ENCODINGS_LOOKUP:
+        return Encoder(ENCODINGS_LOOKUP[prefix_bytes].encoding)
+
+    raise UnsupportedEncodingError(f"Encoding {name_or_prefix!r} not supported.")
+
+
 class Encoder:
     """Reusable encoder for a specific encoding."""
 

tests/test_multibase.py

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     UnsupportedEncodingError,
     decode,
     encode,
+    encoder_by_name,
     get_encoding_info,
     is_encoded,
     is_encoding_supported,
@@ -192,6 +193,24 @@ def test_encoder_class():
         Encoder("base999")
 
 
+def test_encoder_by_name():
+    """Test encoder_by_name factory function."""
+    enc1 = encoder_by_name("base16")
+    assert enc1.encoding == "base16"
+
+    enc2 = encoder_by_name("f")
+    assert enc2.encoding == "base16"
+
+    enc3 = encoder_by_name("🚀")
+    assert enc3.encoding == "base256emoji"
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnsupportedEncodingError):
+        encoder_by_name("base999")
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnsupportedEncodingError):
+        encoder_by_name("?")
+
+
 def test_decoder_class():
     """Test Decoder class."""
     decoder = Decoder()