--- title: "bin" slug: "dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-bin" updated: 2026-10-30T18:18:51Z published: 2026-10-30T18:18:51Z canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-bin" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # bin *Applies to VAST Cluster 5.5.* *[Functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-index) › [Numeric and math functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric) › Number formatting.* Returns an integer written in binary, as a `VARCHAR` of 0s and 1s: `bin(5)` is `'101'`. For a string, it writes the bits of each byte. `to_binary` is the same function. ## Syntax ``` bin(x) to_binary(x) ``` | Argument | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `x` | An integer (`TINYINT` to `HUGEINT`, signed or unsigned) or a `VARCHAR` | The value to write in binary. | **Returns:** `VARCHAR`. **Aliases:** `to_binary`. ## Set up the examples The examples connect with the ADBC driver, as in [VAST Query Engine (ADBC)](/develop/docs/dev-database-integrations-adbc), and work in a schema called `docs_sql_fn_numeric_bin`. Set `QE_ENDPOINT`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` and `VASTDB_BUCKET` ([SQL reference](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-index#example-connect-and-use-a-transaction)), and run the blocks in order in one Python session. Below each block is the output you should see. This block connects, defines the `run()` and `plan()` helpers, and creates a table of four numbers and strings. The last row has no values: ``` import os import re import adbc_driver_manager import adbc_driver_manager.dbapi as dbapi import adbc_driver_vastdb BUCKET = os.environ["VASTDB_BUCKET"] SCHEMA = f'"{BUCKET}/docs_sql_fn_numeric_bin"' conn = dbapi.connect( driver=adbc_driver_vastdb.get_driver_path(), db_kwargs={ "vast.db.endpoint": os.environ["QE_ENDPOINT"], "vast.db.access_key": os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"], "vast.db.secret_key": os.environ["AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"], }, autocommit=True, ) def server_message(e): """The server's message in a driver error, without the request ID or the echoed statement.""" text = re.sub(r"\[req=0x[0-9a-f]+\]: ", "", str(e)) found = (re.search(r'message: "(.*?)", request_id', text, re.S) or re.search(r"description: (.*)\)", text, re.S)) message = found.group(1) if found else text.strip().splitlines()[-1] message = re.sub(r"^Plan query: '.*?' failed with: ", "", message, flags=re.S) message = re.split(r"\\n|\n", message)[0].replace('\\"', '"') return message.replace(BUCKET, "") def run(sql): """Run one statement. Print the rows it returns, or the error.""" try: with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute(sql) rows = cur.fetchall() if cur.description else [] except (adbc_driver_manager.Error, OSError) as e: print(f"{type(e).__name__}: {server_message(e)}") else: print(rows) def plan(sql): """Print the plan without its ~N Rows lines: the table's row count, which can still be 0 just after an insert.""" with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute("EXPLAIN " + sql) steps = cur.fetchall()[0][1] print("\n".join(line for line in steps.splitlines() if "Rows" not in line)) TABLE = f"{SCHEMA}.nums" run(f"CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS {SCHEMA}") run(f"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {TABLE} (id BIGINT, n BIGINT, s VARCHAR)") run(f"INSERT INTO {TABLE} VALUES (1, 1536, 'hi'), (2, 5, 'A'), (3, -7, 'abc'), (4, NULL, NULL)") ``` ``` [] [] [(4,)] ``` ## What it does `bin` writes its argument in base 2: | Argument type | What it writes | Example | Result | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | A non-negative integer | The binary digits, with no leading zeros | `bin(5)` | `'101'` | | A negative integer up to `BIGINT` | The 64-bit two's complement, as 64 digits | `bin(-5)` | 61 `1`s, then `011` | | A negative `HUGEINT` | The 128-bit two's complement | | | | A `VARCHAR` | 8 digits for each byte of the string | `bin('abc')` | `'011000010110001001100011'` | Smaller integer types are widened to `BIGINT` first. That doesn't change a positive number (`bin(5::TINYINT)` is `'101'`), but a negative `TINYINT`, `SMALLINT` or `INTEGER` is written in 64 digits, not in its own size: `bin((-1)::TINYINT)` is 64 `1`s. Unsigned types are written as they are: `bin(255::UTINYINT)` is `'11111111'`. `0` is `'0'`. ## NULLs and edge cases | Input | Result | | --- | --- | | `bin(5)`, `bin(0)`, `bin(1)` | `'101'`, `'0'`, `'1'` | | `bin(NULL)` | `NULL` | | `typeof(bin(5))` | `'VARCHAR'` | | `bin(-5)` | `'1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011'` (64 digits) | | `bin(-1)`, `bin((-1)::TINYINT)` | 64 `1`s | | `bin(9223372036854775807)` (the largest `BIGINT`) | 63 `1`s | | `bin(18446744073709551615::UBIGINT)` (the largest `UBIGINT`) | 64 `1`s | | The largest `HUGEINT`, the largest `UHUGEINT` | 127 `1`s, 128 `1`s | | `bin(5::TINYINT)`, `bin(255::UTINYINT)` | `'101'`, `'11111111'` | | `bin('abc')`, `bin('12')` | `'011000010110001001100011'`, `'0011000100110010'` | | `bin(5::VARINT)` | `'10000000000000000000000100000101'`: not the binary digits of 5 | | `bin(-9223372036854775808::BIGINT)` | Error: `Type INT128 with value 9223372036854775808 can't be cast because the value is out of range for the destination type INT64` | | `bin(1.5)` (a `DECIMAL`) | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types 'bin(DECIMAL(2,1))'` | | A `BLOB`, `DOUBLE`, `DATE` or `BOOLEAN` | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types`, for example `'bin(BLOB)'` | The same cases, as the cluster returns them. They use the table and helpers from [Set up the examples](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-bin#set-up-the-examples): ``` run("SELECT bin(5), bin(0), bin(1), bin(NULL), typeof(bin(5))") run("SELECT bin(-5), length(bin(-1)), length(bin((-1)::TINYINT))") run("SELECT length(bin(9223372036854775807)), length(bin(18446744073709551615::UBIGINT))") run("SELECT length(bin(170141183460469231731687303715884105727::HUGEINT)), " "length(bin(340282366920938463463374607431768211455::UHUGEINT))") run("SELECT bin(5::TINYINT), bin(255::UTINYINT), bin('abc'), bin('12'), bin(5::VARINT)") run("SELECT bin(-9223372036854775808::BIGINT)") run("SELECT bin(1.5)") run("SELECT bin('\\xAA'::BLOB)") ``` ``` [('101', '0', '1', None, 'VARCHAR')] [('1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011', 64, 64)] [(63, 64)] [(127, 128)] [('101', '11111111', '011000010110001001100011', '0011000100110010', '10000000000000000000000100000101')] OSError: Type INT128 with value 9223372036854775808 can't be cast because the value is out of range for the destination type INT64 InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'bin(DECIMAL(2,1))'. You might need to add explicit type casts. InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'bin(BLOB)'. You might need to add explicit type casts. ``` ## Examples Each number and string in binary. `to_binary` gives the same result as `bin`, and `-7` is written as 64 digits: ``` run(f"SELECT id, bin(n), to_binary(n), bin(s) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1, '11000000000', '11000000000', '0110100001101001'), (2, '101', '101', '01000001'), (3, '1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111001', '1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111001', '011000010110001001100011'), (4, None, None, None)] ``` The number of binary digits each non-negative number needs: ``` run(f"SELECT id, n, length(bin(n)) FROM {TABLE} WHERE n >= 0 ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1, 1536, 11), (2, 5, 3)] ``` ## How it runs in VAST The Query Engine runs on the cluster's CNodes, and a query on a table starts with a scan in VAST DataBase (`VAST_SCAN`). VAST DataBase can evaluate a comparison of a column with a constant, but not a function of a column, so `bin()` is always computed by the Query Engine: - **In the `SELECT` list,** the scan reads the column and the Query Engine computes `bin()` for each row it returns. - **In `WHERE`,** the scan sends the column for every row, and a `FILTER` step in the Query Engine computes `bin()` and keeps the rows that match. No rows are skipped in storage. The plan of a `WHERE` condition on `bin()` shows the `FILTER` step above the scan: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE bin(n) = '101'") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ PROJECTION │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ #1 │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ FILTER │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ (bin(n) = '101') │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ │ │ Projections: │ │ n │ │ id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Make it faster - **Filter on the number, not its binary text.** `n = 5` gives the same rows as `bin(n) = '101'`, and a comparison of the raw column with a constant is pushed down to VAST DataBase, so rows that don't match never leave storage. The plan has no `FILTER` step: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE n = 5") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ Projections: id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` - **Compute it in `SELECT`.** `bin()` in the `SELECT` list runs only on the rows that pass the filter. ## Limitations and errors - **Integers and strings only.** A `DECIMAL`, `DOUBLE`, `FLOAT`, `BOOLEAN`, `DATE`, `INTERVAL`, `BLOB` or list fails with `No function matches the given name and argument types`. Cast a number to `BIGINT` first. - **Negative numbers are written in 64 digits.** A negative `TINYINT`, `SMALLINT`, `INTEGER` or `BIGINT` gives its 64-bit two's complement, whatever its own size. Use [to_base](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-to-base) for non-negative numbers padded to a fixed width; it doesn't take negative numbers. - **`-9223372036854775808::BIGINT` fails.** In it, the cast applies before the minus sign, and `9223372036854775808` doesn't fit a `BIGINT`, so the query fails with `Type INT128 with value 9223372036854775808 can't be cast because the value is out of range for the destination type INT64`. - **Not for `VARINT`.** `bin(5::VARINT)` returns `'10000000000000000000000100000101'`, not `'101'`. A `VARINT` can't be cast to `BIGINT` either: the cast fails with `Unimplemented type for cast (VARINT -> BIGINT)`. Keep numbers you write in binary in an integer type such as `BIGINT` or `HUGEINT`. ``` run("SELECT bin(1.5::DOUBLE)") run("SELECT bin(CAST(1.5::DOUBLE AS BIGINT))") run("SELECT CAST(5::VARINT AS BIGINT)") ``` ``` InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'bin(DOUBLE)'. You might need to add explicit type casts. [('10',)] OSError: Unimplemented type for cast (VARINT -> BIGINT) ``` ## Similar functions | Function | Writes | Result for `10` | Result for `-10` | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `bin`, `to_binary` | base 2 | `'1010'` | 64 digits of two's complement | | [to_base](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-to-base) `(n, 2)` | any base from 2 to 36, optionally zero-padded | `'1010'` | error: `'to_base' number must be greater than or equal to 0` | | [hex](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-binary-hash-uuid-hex) | base 16, capital letters | `'A'` | `'FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF6'` | | [from_binary](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-string-from-binary) | the reverse for strings: text of 0s and 1s back to bytes | | | | [bit_count](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-binary-hash-uuid-bit-count) | the number of `1` bits, as a number | `2` | | ``` run("SELECT bin(10), to_binary(10), to_base(10, 2), hex(10), bit_count(10)") run("SELECT bin(-10), hex(-10)") run("SELECT to_base(-10, 2)") run("SELECT to_base(5, 2, 8), from_binary(bin('hi'))") ``` ``` [('1010', '1010', '1010', 'A', 2)] [('1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110110', 'FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF6')] OSError: 'to_base' number must be greater than or equal to 0 [('00000101', b'hi')] ``` Clean up: ``` run(f"DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {TABLE}") run(f"DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS {SCHEMA}") conn.close() ``` ``` [] [] ``` ## See also - [Numeric and math functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric): all the numeric functions. - [to_base](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-numeric-to-base) and [hex](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-binary-hash-uuid-hex). - [Where filters run](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-select#where-filters-run) and [pushdowns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-pushdowns). - [EXPLAIN](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-explain): how to read a plan.