In Oracle Database, how can you store an image file inside a table so that the binary image data is kept in the database?

Introduction / Context:
Modern applications often need to store binary data such as images, documents, or media files inside a relational database. Oracle Database supports this requirement through special datatypes designed for large binary objects. Interviewers frequently ask how to insert an image into a table, not because they expect you to remember every syntax detail, but because they want you to know the correct datatype and the general approach used to move binary bytes into Oracle from Java, PL-SQL, or other client programs.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The database is Oracle, and we are working with a regular relational table.
• The requirement is to store the actual image data inside the table, not just a file path.
• The question refers to inserting images, which are binary files such as JPG or PNG.
• We assume that client code or PL-SQL can be used to send binary data to the database.

Concept / Approach:
Oracle provides LOB (Large Object) datatypes for storing large unstructured data. For binary data such as images, the appropriate type is BLOB (Binary Large OBject). To store an image, you typically create a table with a BLOB column, then use a programming language or PL-SQL to read the image file from the file system and insert its raw bytes into the BLOB column. In some designs you may also use a BFILE to reference an external file, but that keeps the data in the file system and only stores a locator in the database. Therefore, when the question specifically talks about inserting an image into a table, the correct approach is to use a BLOB column and write the binary data into it.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Design a table with at least one BLOB column, for example CREATE TABLE photos (id NUMBER, image_data BLOB);. Step 2: From client code (such as Java using JDBC) or from PL-SQL, open the image file and read its bytes into a buffer. Step 3: Use an INSERT or UPDATE statement with a parameter or a LOB locator to write the bytes into the BLOB column, binding the binary stream appropriately. Step 4: Commit the transaction so that the BLOB data is permanently stored inside the Oracle table. Step 5: To retrieve the image, select the BLOB column and stream the bytes back out to the application, saving them to a file or sending them over the network.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you only store the file path in a VARCHAR2 column, then the image itself remains on the file system, and Oracle is not responsible for storing the bytes. Similarly, using NUMBER cannot represent arbitrary binary data correctly, and the LONG datatype is deprecated for most new development in favour of LOB types. Oracle documentation and examples consistently show BLOB as the correct datatype for binary images. This cross check confirms that creating a BLOB column and inserting the raw bytes is the correct technique for storing image data inside a table.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option Store the image file path in a VARCHAR2 column and let Oracle automatically load the image from the file system: Oracle does not automatically load external image files just because a path is stored; the application must handle the file itself. Option Use a NUMBER column and convert the image into a numeric value: Arbitrary binary data cannot be safely and efficiently represented as a NUMBER value, and this is not standard practice. Option Use only the LONG datatype, because Oracle does not support binary large objects: Oracle does support BLOB, and LONG is an older type with many restrictions, so this statement is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is confusing storing the image bytes with storing only a file name or path. While storing a path can be useful, it means the database does not contain the image data, and backup or replication strategies must also handle the file system. Another pitfall is trying to use CLOB for binary data, which is intended for character data rather than arbitrary bytes. Developers should also avoid using LONG or LONG RAW in new designs because they are deprecated and have limitations compared to BLOB. Choosing BLOB and using proper streaming APIs results in a robust solution for storing images in Oracle.

Final Answer:
To store an image file inside an Oracle table, you should Create a column of type BLOB and insert the image bytes into that column using client code or PL-SQL.