BSON

Technology & Computing abbreviation · Data & Database

BSON
Stands forBinary JSON
CategoriesTechnology & Computing

BSON stands for Binary JSON, a data & database abbreviation.

The binary serialization format MongoDB uses to store documents and send them over the network. It extends JSON with types such as dates, 64-bit integers, decimals and binary data, and stores lengths so fields can be scanned quickly.

Example: The document exceeded MongoDB's 16 MB BSON size limit, so move the attachments to GridFS.

Usage notes

Designed at MongoDB, Inc., then called 10gen, around 2009. BSON is not always smaller than JSON, because it repeats field names and length prefixes in every document. Drivers convert between it and native language objects automatically, so developers rarely handle it directly.

More data & database abbreviations

  • 3NF – Third normal form
  • ACID – Atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability
  • BASE – Basically available, soft state, eventual consistency
  • BI – Business intelligence
  • BLOB – Binary large object
  • CAP – Consistency, availability, partition tolerance (CAP theorem)
  • CDC – Change data capture
  • CTE – Common table expression
  • DAG – Directed acyclic graph
  • DAX – Data Analysis Expressions
  • DB – Database
  • DBA – Database administrator

See all 53 data & database abbreviations →