Object Storage

Object storage stores blobs by key. It is ideal for images, videos, backups, logs, and generated exports.

bucket: user-uploads
key: avatars/user-123.png

Public buckets are easy but risky. Private buckets plus signed URLs provide controlled access.

IMPORTANT

Treat uploads as untrusted input. Validate type, size, and access permissions.

Further Learning

“object storage buckets keys” — storage model
“signed URL object storage” — temporary access
“secure file uploads cloud storage” — upload safety

Object Storage

Object storage (like Amazon S3) is where you keep files in the cloud — images, videos, backups, PDFs. Think of it as a giant, infinitely-scaling filing cabinet: you put files in buckets, and each file has a unique key (basically its path/name).

bucket: user-uploads
key: avatars/user-123.png

Public vs. private

You can make a bucket fully public (anyone with the link can view files) or private (nobody can access files without special permission). Public is simpler to set up, but risky if the bucket contains anything sensitive.

For private files that still need occasional public access — like letting a user download their own invoice — use a signed URL: a special link that’s only valid for a short time, generated on demand.

Treat uploads as untrusted

IMPORTANT

Anything a user uploads should be treated like any other untrusted input — check its file type and size on your server (not just the browser), and don’t assume the file is what it claims to be.

In one sentence

Object storage holds files in buckets under unique keys — keep buckets private by default and use short-lived signed URLs for controlled access, and always validate uploaded files as untrusted input.

Want to go deeper?

Switch to Expert mode above for signed-URL patterns and designing object keys intentionally.