Binary Data

What Does Binary Data Mean?

Binary data is a type of data that is represented or displayed in the binary numeral system. Binary data is the only category of data that can be directly understood and executed by a computer. It is numerically represented by a combination of zeros and ones.

Advertisements

Techopedia Explains Binary Data

Binary data is considered the native data/language of a computer and it interacts with the lowest abstraction layer of its hardware. This type of data is produced whenever a process is performed on a computer. The application requesting the process sends instructions in a high-level language that is ultimately converted into binary data to be executed or sent to the processor. All processes, regardless of their type, are converted into binary form before execution.

Most binary data can only be read by a computer, not a human.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Latest Hardware Terms

Related Reading

Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…