Block Storage
Storage that splits data into fixed-size blocks, each with its own address. Used for databases and boot volumes where low-latency random I/O matters. AWS EBS is block storage.
What is Block Storage?
Storage that splits data into fixed-size blocks, each with its own address. Used for databases and boot volumes where low-latency random I/O matters. AWS EBS is block storage.
Block Storage is a intermediate-level concept that sits in the Cloud Infrastructure area of system design. Engineers reach for it whenever they need to reason about real-world trade-offs in that space — not just for textbook correctness, but because real production systems at companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Google make these decisions every day.
If you want to go deeper than this definition — with diagrams, code, and a quiz to lock it in — work through the "Block Storage" lesson linked below. It walks through the why, the mechanism, the trade-offs, and how the giants actually use it in production.
Learn Block Storage in depth
Full interactive lesson with diagrams, code examples, real-world references, and a quiz.
Open the Block Storage lessonRelated lessons
Lessons that touch on Block Storage as part of a larger topic.
See also
Related glossary terms you might want to look up next.
Object Storage
A storage architecture that manages data as objects (file + metadata + ID) rather than blocks or files. S3 is the gold standard. Infinitely scalable, cheap, and durable.
Database
An organized collection of data that can be easily accessed, managed, and updated. The backbone of almost every application.
Virtual Machine
A software emulation of a physical computer running its own OS on shared hardware. Heavier than containers but provides stronger isolation.