VARBINARY
Raw binary data (arbitrary bytes). Use for hashes, encoded payloads, or any non-text binary content.
Aliases: BLOB, BYTES
Example
SELECT HEX_DECODE('deadbeef');Casting
| From | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| from VARCHAR | 'hello'::VARBINARY |
Treats the string bytes directly as binary |
| from NVARCHAR | utf8_col::VARBINARY |
Returns the raw UTF-8 byte sequence |
Comparisons
Can be compared (using =, <, >, etc.) with: VARBINARY, VARCHAR.
Limitations
- There is no binary literal syntax. Use HEX_DECODE(), BASE64_DECODE(), or cast from a hex string.