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What does "binary" mean in programming?

binary is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

The base-2 number system that uses only 0 and 1. Computers store and process all data as binary. The term also refers to compiled executable files (as opposed to source code).

Example

"The compiled binary is 2MB and runs without a runtime dependency."

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