Capterra Glossary
IT
Binary Large Object (BLOB)

Capterra Glossary

Binary Large Object (BLOB)

A binary large object (BLOB) is a type of data that works only with binary information. BLOBs are large in size and thus need significant storage space. Different database types store different sizes of BLOBs; some BLOBs can be several gigabytes in size. Since they only deal with binary data, BLOBs are ideal for storing image and audio data. They can also be combined with other data types, such as strings. This allows captions to be stored alongside images and audio. For example, the string stores relevant letters and numbers for the caption, while the BLOB stores the image/audio data.

What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About Binary Large Object (BLOB)

Small businesses may be surprised at how many types of BLOBs they already have in storage. Common file extensions include .avi, .mp3, .gif, and .jpeg, among many others. Businesses need to ensure they have databases set up for the management of binary files so they can easily handle the images they need for catalogs, social media, and brochures, for example.

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