BLOB: What it is, how it works, and its applications in technology and the cloud

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When you search What is BLOB? You've probably come across a term that seems like it's straight out of a science fiction movie, or even from a world almost incomprehensible to those not dedicated to computing. However, understanding the concept of BLOB is fundamental in the world of technology and programming, whether you work with databases, are interested in web applications, or simply want to stay abreast of current storage technologies.

In this article we are going to break down in a simple and exhaustive way everything related to BlobYou'll discover the meaning of this acronym in computing, its uses, how the concept has evolved, and why it has become so essential in both on-premises and cloud systems. We'll cover everything from the most technical explanation to everyday details and application examples, without forgetting some interesting facts about the word's origin.

The meaning of BLOB in technology

The word Blob comes from the acronym in English Binary Large Object, which translated into Spanish would be something like binary large object. This is a widely used term to describe a type of data specialized in storing large amounts of information in binary format within databases or file systems.

In other words, a Blob It is simply a section of a database prepared to store large, undifferentiated data elements, which can range from images, videos, backups, to any multimedia or binary file, and even large text documents with no defined structure. Their main characteristic is that their content is in binary format, making them unreadable to humans without the aid of specific software capable of interpreting them.

Why BLOB and not another data type?

The choice of Blob As a storage type, it arises because there are data whose structure and size don't fit well with the classic types we use in databases (such as text strings or integers). Think, for example, of a digital photograph, a high-resolution video, or an entire virtual database. All of these require flexible space, without strict limits and without prior interpretation. Blob offers exactly that: a "container" for any kind of information, especially if we don't know very well how to classify it.

Classic, simpler data intended to be read as text (e.g. XML, JSON or plain text files) are usually saved as CLOBs (Character Large Object), which is a similar type but focused on characters instead of binary bytes. In short, with Blob The storage of anything whose format does not fit the standard types is resolved.

Where does the term BLOB come from?

Interestingly, the name "BLOB" doesn't originally come from the computer world, but from popular culture. It's named after the 1958 science fiction film starring Steve McQueen, called The Blob, in which an amorphous mass destroys everything in its path. This concept of a "formless mass," easily molded and of indefinite size, served as inspiration for the naming of these flexible and voluminous binary objects.

In fact, although many assume that the acronym refers to Binary Large Object, in some contexts we also speak of Basic Large Object, opening the door to the idea that a blob doesn't always have to be binary, but any large "basic object" that needs to be stored unstructured.

What are BLOBs used for?

The most common use of the Blob is multimedia file management: photos, videos, audio recordings, and, in general, any file that exceeds the size and traditional structure of stored data. For example, enterprise document management systems, ERPs, and cloud solutions often base their storage efficiency on these types of objects.

But the Blob They are also used in other scenarios, such as storing virtual hard drives, backup images, compressed files, or large documents. Its importance is key in the development of modern web applications and cloud services.

How Web Development Uses Blobs: The Case of JavaScript and the Blob API

The concept of Blob has taken on special prominence in the Web development, especially in file handling within the browser. Languages ​​like JavaScript and APIs like the Web API Blob allow manipulation binary data directly from web pages and applications. An object Blob On the web it represents a flat file of immutable data. It can contain Any type of information: from a dynamically generated image to text snippets or any file uploaded by the user.

Actually, the interface File which is used to interact with files in the browser is based on BlobThis allows user-manipulated files, such as images or documents, to be treated as manipulable Blob objects in various operations: viewing, downloading, uploading to servers, and more.

In JavaScript we can create a Blob with the constructor Blob(), from arrays that can contain other blobs, strings, or even buffer sources (low-level binary data). You can also extract a portion of an existing blob using the slice(), which is used to work only with the part that interests us without loading the entire object into memory.

Practical use of BLOBs in web applications

One of the most common uses of Blob in the browser is the dynamic file generation: files that the user can download without having to be previously stored on the server. For example, we can create a small text or image file "on the fly" on the client, transform it into a Blob and make it available to the user via a link (either by inserting a <a> in the HTML or by forcing the download via JavaScript).

This process is supported by the method URL.createObjectURL(blob), which generates a temporary URL valid only for the current session, allowing the Blob's contents to be displayed in other elements (such as images or download links). An interesting detail is that while the URL is active, the Blob object remains in the browser's memory; that's why the method exists. URL.revokeObjectURL(url) to release those resources when they are no longer needed.

When we want to transmit information between client and server in web applications, BLOBs have become the preferred format for binary files thanks to their versatility and compatibility with modern APIs (such as fetch, XMLHttpRequest, etc.). They also allow images to be uploaded to the browser canvas, edited, and exported as new BLOBs for sending or downloading.

Conversions and efficiency: from Blob to Base64 and vice versa

Another very common use is the converting blobs to base64 strings. This allows you to embed binary information in data URLs (e.g., images embedded in HTML). The process involves transforming the contents of a blob (e.g., a user-generated image) into a base64 string that the browser can understand and display directly.

This technique is useful in certain contexts, although it has the drawback of increased memory consumption and reduced performance when handling very large files. In these cases, it's always preferable to use Blob objects directly and reference them with dynamically created URLs.

The role of blobs in cloud storage: Azure Blob Storage

In the context of cloud storage, especially on platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Blob acquire a crucial dimension. Azure Blob Storage It is an object storage service optimized for large volumes of unstructured data, i.e., information that does not conform to a rigid data model, such as images, videos, backups, or any large binary or textual files.

The system is hierarchized into three basic levels:

• Storage account: the parent container, with a unique namespace and configured access.
• Contenedor: A subdivision within the account, where blobs are stored and organized, similar to directories in a traditional file system.
• Blob: the specific file or set of data stored within a container, which can be of different types depending on its use and nature.

Azure Blob Storage supports a variety of access and management options, from APIs (REST, SDKs, PowerShell, CLI) to integrations with other Azure services and protocols like SFTP or NFS. It also offers advanced features such as multi-tiered storage (to optimize resources), high availability, disaster recovery options, and support for large analytical workloads using Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2.

Types of blobs supported in Azure

Within Azure Storage we find three main types of blobs:

• Block blobs: Designed to store binary and text data, they consist of individual blocks that can be managed separately. Perfect for multimedia files or large volumes of data.
• Blobs in attachments: similar to the previous ones but optimized for continuous data addition operations, such as a log or event record.
• Blobs on pages: Designed for random access files, such as virtual hard disks (VHDs), and with capacities up to 8 TiB.

Each blob type has its own rules and limitations regarding maximum size, structure, and number of segments in its name, allowing for precise customization to the needs of the user or application.

Data migration and management in Azure Blob Storage

Data migration to Azure Blob Storage can be done in many ways, depending on the volume and urgency:

• AzCopy: Command-line tool for efficient data transfers between containers or from local systems.
• azure data factory: for complex and automated data integrations, supporting different sources and destinations.
• Azure DataBox y Import/Export service: solutions for transferring large volumes of data using physical devices when direct upload via the network is not feasible.
• BlobFuse: driver that allows you to mount a blob container as if it were a file system in Linux.
• Client Libraries: to handle blob management and integration into custom applications from almost any popular language.

Additionally, Azure allows for great flexibility in defining naming rules, segment management, and organization strategies to optimize access, security, and management of stored data.

Advanced technical details and considerations for using blobs

When working with blobs in web applications, it's important to consider memory management and the lifecycle of uploaded objects. For example, if we generate many temporary URLs for blobs and don't release them (by revoking the URL), we can end up saturating the browser's memory, which can affect overall performance and user experience.

Furthermore, the stream management from blobs allows you to process large files in chunks instead of loading the entire file at once, which is essential for maintaining performance and stability in applications that handle large files. JavaScript provides methods such as blob.stream() o blob.arrayBuffer(), facilitating reading in fragments and integration with modern streaming APIs.

Practical use example of blobs in web development

Imagine you have an application where the user can upload an image, edit it in the browser, and then download the modified version. This entire process can be perfectly managed using blobs:

• The image uploaded by the user is converted into a blob and displayed on the screen.
• The user edits the image (e.g., crops, adds filters, etc.).
• The result is exported, generating a new blob, which can be downloaded, shared, or sent to the server.
• If you want to display the image temporarily, create a URL with URL.createObjectURL(blob), which can be used on a label <img>.

This flow is extensible to PDF documents, videos, audio, and any binary file involved in the application.

Common mistakes and best practices when working with blobs

One of the most common mistakes is not properly freeing temporary blob URLs, which leads to memory leaks. It's also important to consider when it's best to store files as blobs in a database versus a traditional file system or cloud storage, as each option has its advantages and disadvantages depending on the context of use, access frequency, and the volume of data being handled.

In enterprise environments, choosing the right way to save a blob as a block, append, or page, as well as planning the naming and organization of containers in the cloud, can mean the difference between an efficient solution and one that is difficult to maintain and scale.

The use of blobs is so widespread that, today, virtually every application involving multimedia files, image processing, or large-scale document management uses them in some way, both on-premises and in cloud services.

The idea behind the BLOB concept is so flexible and powerful that it has allowed it to evolve from a simple "amorphous mass" with a movie-inspired name to become one of the pillars of data storage today and tomorrow. From web development to cloud computing, enterprise systems and backup solutions, the use of blobs is now essential for the efficient and secure management of large volumes of data.

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