Bytes Objects: Handling Binary Data in Python

The bytes data type is an immutable sequence of unsigned bytes used for handling binary data in Python. You can create a bytes object using the literal syntax, the bytes() function, or the bytes.fromhex() method. Since bytes are closely related to strings, you often convert between the two data types, applying the correct character encoding.

This tutorial starts with a brief overview of binary data fundamentals, setting the scene for the remaining part, which delves into creating and manipulating bytes objects in Python. Along the way, it touches on related topics, such as bytearray, bytes-like objects, and the buffer protocol. To top it off, you’ll find several real-life examples and exercises at the end, which demonstrate the concepts discussed.