> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.internetobject.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.internetobject.org/structure-and-syntax/values/binary.md).

# Binary

A **binary value** is a sequence of raw bytes carried as text. It is written as a Base64 byte string: the prefix `b` followed by Base64 content in single or double quotes. Binary values suit images, encrypted content, cryptographic keys, or any arbitrary byte sequence in an otherwise text-based document.

The content between the quotes is Base64 per RFC 4648. *Base64* is the encoding; *binary* is the value type.

> **Implementation status (beta).** Binary literals are **not yet available** in the reference implementation: `b'…'` and `b"…"` currently raise a syntax error (`unexpected-token`), and no `binary` schema type is registered. This page documents the intended design; the examples below are illustrative and are not yet executable. Track progress in the [Roadmap](/appendices/roadmap.md).

## Syntax

A binary value is prefixed with `b` and enclosed in single or double quotes; the content must be valid Base64.

```ebnf
binaryValue = "b" (singleQuotedBase64 | doubleQuotedBase64)
singleQuotedBase64 = "'" base64Content "'"
doubleQuotedBase64 = '"' base64Content '"'
base64Content   = { base64Character }
base64Character = "A"…"Z" | "a"…"z" | "0"…"9" | "+" | "/" | "="
```

## Structural characters

| Symbol                    | Name            | Unicode            | Description                             |
| ------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------ | --------------------------------------- |
| `b`                       | Byte prefix     | `U+0062`           | Marks the value as a Base64 byte string |
| `'`                       | Single quote    | `U+0027`           | Encloses the Base64 content             |
| `"`                       | Double quote    | `U+0022`           | Encloses the Base64 content             |
| `A`–`Z`, `a`–`z`, `0`–`9` | Base64 alphabet | —                  | Base64 data characters                  |
| `+`, `/`                  | Base64 alphabet | `U+002B`, `U+002F` | Base64 data characters                  |
| `=`                       | Padding         | `U+003D`           | Base64 padding                          |

## Valid forms

```ruby
b'SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ='        # "Hello World"
b"SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ="        # same, with double quotes
b'QWxhZGRpbjpvcGVuIHNlc2FtZQ=='   # "Aladdin:open sesame"
b'TWFu'                    # "Man"  (no padding needed)
b'TWE='                    # "Ma"   (one pad)
b'TQ=='                    # "M"    (two pads)
b''                        # empty byte string
```

## Invalid forms

```ruby
bSGVsbG8=                  # ✗ missing quotes
b'SGVsbG8 gV29ybGQ='       # ✗ space within the Base64 content
b'SGVsbG8@V29ybGQ='        # ✗ invalid character '@'
B'SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ='        # ✗ prefix must be lower-case b
```

## Behavior

* **Whitespace** — leading and trailing whitespace around the quotes is ignored; whitespace inside the Base64 content is not allowed.
* **Prefix case** — the prefix must be lower-case `b`; the Base64 content is case-sensitive.
* **Padding** — standard `=` padding is required for correct decoding.
* **Decoding** — a parser decodes the content into a byte sequence (commonly a byte array or buffer) and preserves the exact bytes; invalid Base64 is a parse error.

Internet Object does not interpret the structure of the decoded bytes — any format, compression, or application meaning is the application's concern.

## See Also

* [Value Representations](/structure-and-syntax/values.md) — all value types
* [Binary](/schema-definition-language/data-types/binary.md) — the binary schema type
* [Strings](/structure-and-syntax/values/string.md) — text values (open, regular, raw)


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