title: What is the datatype bytea and when would I use it?
body: <p>In Postgres there is a datatype called <code>bytea</code></p>
  <p>The Postgres docs are here for it: <a href="http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/datatype-binary.html" rel="noreferrer">http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/datatype-binary.html</a></p>
  <p>I cannot understand when I would ever use this - nor can I really understand the purpose of this datatype.</p>
  <p>I have come across this term <code>bytea</code> several times and starting to wonder to myself &quot;It seems like they expect me to understand this... Maybe I should find out what it is.&quot;</p>
  <p>What is a simple definition for it and some circumstances of when I would possibly use it?</p>