# BLOB and TEXT Data Types

## Description

A `BLOB` is a binary large object that can hold a variable amount of data. The four `BLOB` types are

* [TINYBLOB](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/tinyblob),
* [BLOB](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/blob),
* [MEDIUMBLOB](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/mediumblob), and
* [LONGBLOB](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/longblob).

These differ only in the maximum length of the values they can hold.

The `TEXT` types are

* [TINYTEXT](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/tinytext),
* [TEXT](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/text),
* [MEDIUMTEXT](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/mediumtext), and
* [LONGTEXT](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/longtext).
* [JSON](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/json) (alias for LONGTEXT)

These correspond to the four `BLOB` types and have the same maximum lengths and [storage requirements](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/data-type-storage-requirements).

`BLOB` and `TEXT` columns can have a `DEFAULT` value.

#### Note

It is possible to set a unique index on columns that use the `BLOB` or `TEXT` data types.

## See Also

* [Store a column as compressed](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-usage/tables/create-table#compressed)

<sub>*This page is licensed: GPLv2, originally from*</sub> [<sub>*fill\_help\_tables.sql*</sub>](https://github.com/MariaDB/server/blob/main/scripts/fill_help_tables.sql)

{% @marketo/form formId="4316" %}


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