In SQL, the BINARY data type is used to store binary data in a fixed-length format. Binary data is data that is composed of only 0s and 1s, such as machine code or encrypted data.
The BINARY data type is similar to the VARBINARY data type, which is used to store variable-length binary data. However, the BINARY data type stores data in a fixed-length format, meaning that it always requires a set number of bytes to store the data.
Syntax
To define a column with the BINARY data type, you need to specify the number of bytes it can store. For example, to define a column that can store up to 10 bytes of binary data, you would use the following SQL statement:
CREATE TABLE my_table ( binary_data BINARY(10) );
Example
In this example, the column named “binary_data” is defined with the BINARY data type and can store up to 10 bytes of data.
When you insert data into a column with the BINARY data type, you need to ensure that the data is in the correct format. This means that the data should be composed of only 0s and 1s, and it should have the same length as the column. If the data is too long or too short, it will be truncated or padded with null bytes.
Overall, the BINARY data type is useful for storing binary data in a fixed-length format. It can be used in a variety of applications, including encryption, digital signatures, and machine learning.
