What does ‘binary’ mean in MySQL?

In MySQL, the binary data type is used to store binary data. It represents raw binary data in bytes without any character set conversion. Unlike character data types, data in the binary type is not automatically converted by MySQL in terms of character sets, and it is case-sensitive.

Using the binary data type allows for storing any kind of binary information such as images, multimedia files, encrypted data in a database. Its use ensures the integrity and consistency of the data, preventing any corruption or distortion during storage and retrieval processes.

It is important to note that using the binary type may occupy more storage space because it does not perform character set conversion and compression. Additionally, when comparing binary data types, MySQL compares the value of each byte rather than just the content of the string.