MySQL BINARY

The MySQL BINARY data type is a fixed-length binary string type that stores binary data as a sequence of bytes. Unlike the variable-length binary string type VARBINARY, which can store binary data of varying lengths, the BINARY type requires a fixed length to be specified when defining a column.

Here are some key characteristics and considerations related to the MySQL BINARY data type:

Fixed Length: When you define a column with the BINARY data type, you need to specify the length of the binary data it can hold. For example, BINARY(10) would create a column that can store exactly 10 bytes of binary data.

CREATE TABLE example_table (
    binary_column BINARY(10)
);

Padding: If the actual binary data is shorter than the specified length, MySQL pads the value with trailing zeros to meet the fixed length requirement. This ensures that the stored binary data always occupies the specified number of bytes.

Comparison and Sorting: BINARY strings are compared based on their binary values rather than their character values. This means that uppercase and lowercase letters are treated as distinct, and sorting is done based on the binary representation of the data.

Use Cases: The BINARY data type is commonly used to store binary data where a fixed length is required, such as cryptographic hash values, checksums, or other situations where maintaining a specific length is important.

CREATE TABLE user_passwords (
    username VARCHAR(50),
    password_hash BINARY(32)  -- Assuming a 256-bit hash (32 bytes)
);

Storage Efficiency: While the BINARY type requires a fixed amount of storage space, it can be more space-efficient than using variable-length types for certain scenarios, especially when dealing with a large number of fixed-size records.

CREATE TABLE sensor_data (
    sensor_id INT,
    data_payload BINARY(64)  -- Assuming a fixed-length payload
);

It’s important to carefully choose the appropriate data type based on the characteristics of the data you are storing. If the length of the binary data can vary, you might consider using VARBINARY instead. Additionally, when working with textual data, consider using CHAR or VARCHAR data types instead of BINARY.