diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 0a98a8b..1517159 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "zwus"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.2.0"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.70"
 description = "Zero Width Unicode Steganography — hide text in invisible characters."
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6bd6f23..b04279c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Zero Width Unicode Steganography — hide text inside invisible characters.
 
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-zwus = "0.1"
+zwus = "0.2"
 ```
 
 ## Usage
@@ -28,14 +28,19 @@ assert_eq!(decoded, vec![72, 101, 108]);
 Higher base = shorter output, but more likely visible in some renderers.
 
 ```rust
-Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 3); // default, safest
-Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 6); // compact
+use zwus::Zwus;
+
+Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 3); // safest
+Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 6); // default, compact
 Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 8); // most compact
 ```
 
 Decode must match the encode base:
 
 ```rust
+use zwus::Zwus;
+
+let encoded = Zwus::encode_string_with_base("hi", 6);
 Zwus::decode_to_string_with_base(&encoded, 6);
 ```
 
@@ -44,6 +49,8 @@ Zwus::decode_to_string_with_base(&encoded, 6);
 Non-ZWUS characters are automatically ignored during decoding, so hidden payloads survive being mixed into normal text.
 
 ```rust
+use zwus::Zwus;
+
 let hidden = Zwus::encode_string("secret");
 let carrier = format!("nothing to see here{hidden}, move along");
 let extracted = Zwus::decode_to_string(&carrier);
@@ -55,6 +62,8 @@ assert_eq!(extracted, "secret");
 Handles emoji and all of Unicode — anything `char` can represent.
 
 ```rust
+use zwus::Zwus;
+
 let encoded = Zwus::encode_string("hello 🦀🔥");
 let decoded = Zwus::decode_to_string(&encoded);
 assert_eq!(decoded, "hello 🦀🔥");
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index b6ed46b..44ffe81 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #![doc = include_str!("../README.md")]
 
-pub const DEFAULT_BASE: u8 = 3;
+pub const DEFAULT_BASE: u8 = 6;
 pub const SUPPORTED_BASES: [u8; 3] = [3, 6, 8];
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn decode_numbers(text: &str, base: u8) -> Vec<u32> {
 pub struct Zwus;
 
 impl Zwus {
-    /// Encode a string using base 3 (default/safest).
+    /// Encode a string using base 6 (default/compact).
     pub fn encode_string(text: &str) -> String {
         Self::encode_string_with_base(text, DEFAULT_BASE)
     }
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ impl Zwus {
         encode_numbers(text.chars().map(|c| c as u32), base)
     }
 
-    /// Encode numbers using base 3 (default/safest).
+    /// Encode numbers using base 6 (default/compact).
     pub fn encode_number_array(numbers: &[u32]) -> String {
         Self::encode_number_array_with_base(numbers, DEFAULT_BASE)
     }
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ impl Zwus {
         encode_numbers(numbers.iter().copied(), base)
     }
 
-    /// Decode to string using base 3 (default/safest).
+    /// Decode to string using base 6 (default/compact).
     /// Non-ZWUS chars are ignored automatically.
     pub fn decode_to_string(text: &str) -> String {
         Self::decode_to_string_with_base(text, DEFAULT_BASE)
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ impl Zwus {
             .collect()
     }
 
-    /// Decode to numbers using base 3 (default/safest).
+    /// Decode to numbers using base 6 (default/compact).
     /// Non-ZWUS chars are ignored automatically.
     pub fn decode_to_number_array(text: &str) -> Vec<u32> {
         Self::decode_to_number_array_with_base(text, DEFAULT_BASE)
diff --git a/tests/zwus.rs b/tests/zwus.rs
index a5ad000..d7ec1ea 100644
--- a/tests/zwus.rs
+++ b/tests/zwus.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 use zwus::Zwus;
 
+#[test]
+fn default_base_is_6() {
+    let text = "secret 🦀";
+    let numbers = [0, 72, 101];
+    let encoded_text = Zwus::encode_string_with_base(text, 6);
+    let encoded_numbers = Zwus::encode_number_array_with_base(&numbers, 6);
+
+    assert_eq!(Zwus::encode_string(text), encoded_text);
+    assert_eq!(Zwus::decode_to_string(&encoded_text), text);
+    assert_eq!(Zwus::encode_number_array(&numbers), encoded_numbers);
+    assert_eq!(Zwus::decode_to_number_array(&encoded_numbers), numbers);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn roundtrip_string_base_3_6_8() {
     let text = "secret 🦀 unicode";