Learn about storage
Object storage holds images, videos and uploads. Understand buckets, signed URLs, egress fees and large file uploads.
Featured
- ConceptsWhat is a presigned (signed) URL?A presigned URL is a temporary link to a private file that works without login or credentials. See how it works, its limits and when to use it.
- ConceptsWhat is object storage?Object storage keeps files as objects with a key and metadata, accessed over an HTTP API. See how it works, what it is for and where its limits are.
- ConceptsWhat does 'S3-compatible' storage mean?S3 is Amazon's object storage and its API became the industry standard. Learn what S3-compatible means, what differs between providers, and how to connect.
Concepts4
- What is a presigned (signed) URL?A presigned URL is a temporary link to a private file that works without login or credentials. See how it works, its limits and when to use it.
- What is object storage?Object storage keeps files as objects with a key and metadata, accessed over an HTTP API. See how it works, what it is for and where its limits are.
- What does 'S3-compatible' storage mean?S3 is Amazon's object storage and its API became the industry standard. Learn what S3-compatible means, what differs between providers, and how to connect.
- What is a storage bucket?A bucket is the top-level container in object storage: it holds objects and carries access rules. Learn naming rules, prefixes and how to organize files in it.
How-to guides5
- Uploading large files: multipart and resumable uploadsMultipart upload splits a large file into parts that are sent in parallel and retried on their own. See the Python walkthrough, how to resume, and common mistakes.
- Object lifecycle rules: expiring and cleaning up files automaticallyA lifecycle rule deletes files automatically after a set age. Learn how to create folder-level expiration rules on S3 with boto3 and how to verify they work.
- Public vs private files: buckets, temporary links and share linksA public file opens for anyone with the URL; a private one only through an authorized link. Learn how to choose, test access and share safely.
- Serving video and audio from object storage: range requestsTo play and seek a video straight from object storage, the server must answer range requests with 206. Learn how to test, configure and fix it.
- Sending backups to object storageSend database dumps and files to S3-compatible object storage with rclone, schedule it with cron, apply retention and test the restore. Step by step.
Costs3
- Egress fees: the hidden cost of cloud storageEgress fees are charges per GB that leave your cloud storage for the internet. See how the math works, a worked example, and how to avoid bill surprises.
- How much does object storage cost? Storage, requests and egressObject storage cost adds up three lines: GB stored, requests and data egress. See how each line is billed, a full worked example and the hidden costs.
- How much does it cost to store user uploads and images?Storing user uploads costs per GB stored, per request and per GB of egress. See how each line is billed, a 12-month estimate and the ways to bring the bill down.
Comparisons3
- Object vs block vs file storageObject, block and file storage keep data in different ways. See how each one works, a side-by-side table and when to pick each for databases, files or media.
- Object storage vs local disk: where to save your app's filesLocal disk is fast but tied to one machine; object storage is reachable from anywhere. Compare the two side by side and learn when to use each one.
- Should you store images in the database or in object storage?Store images in object storage and keep only the key in the database. See BLOB, bytea and GridFS limits, a side-by-side table and when the database still wins.