Convert byte

The byte is a central unit in the digital world and has a variety of applications, from storing text to transmitting data in networks. It has many multiples that can be based on two different systems in different contexts, so it is important to know the exact context you are working in to avoid misunderstandings when converting.

Use of the byte:

• Data storage: when specifying file sizes or the storage capacity of hard disks, SSDs, USB sticks and other storage media, the unit byte and its multiples are usually used.

• Text storage: In many character set standards, such as ASCII, a character (e.g. a letter or a number) corresponds to a byte.

• Programming: Software developers often work at the byte level when dealing with files, memory addresses or buffers.

• Network communication: When transferring data in networks, the data rate can be specified in bytes per second (B/s) or in bits per second (bps).

Conversion to other data units:

The byte has several multiples based on the binary system (factors of 1,024) or the decimal system (factors of 1,000), depending on the context:

Kilobyte (KB):

• Binary system: 1 KB = 1,024 bytes
• Decimal system: 1 KB = 1,000 bytes (used less frequently)

Megabyte (MB):

• Binary system: 1 MB = 1,024 KB = 1,048,576 bytes
• Decimal system: 1 MB = 1,000 KB = 1,000,000 bytes

Gigabyte (GB), terabyte (TB), petabyte (PB), etc.:

For each of these multiples, a multiplication by a factor of 1,024 of the next smaller multiple applies in the binary system and by a factor of 1,000 in the decimal system.

It is important to note that there are sometimes different definitions of these multiples in industry and IT, especially when it comes to storage media. For example, a manufacturer of a hard disk might use the decimal system to indicate capacity in gigabytes or terabytes, while an operating system interprets the size in the binary system.