# to_binary — DuckDB 1.5.5

Converts the `string` to binary representation.

- Reference: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/
- JSON: /products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.5.5/functions/to_binary.json
- Snapshot ID: duckdb-1.5.5
- Engine: duckdb v1.5.5
- Source ID: d8cdaa33fd
- Binary SHA-256: 8463eb26527b278109cfddffc4606e1019ebefcfe2eac75efc53c76ed8f282d5
- Captured: 2026-09-05T18:37:40.699Z
- Source: https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb/releases/tag/v1.5.5
- Loaded extensions: autocomplete, core_functions, icu, json, parquet, shell
- Alias of: bin

## Interpretation

- Choose a snapshot matching the target engine and build. The default is captured from the published Haybarn WASM package used by the browser playground. Historical native snapshots are also available.
- Availability is an observation in the recorded build and extension profile, not a guarantee of support in every installation or in WASM.
- Types and descriptions are declarations from duckdb_functions(). Binding can specialize result types. Null means not supplied by the catalog; do not invent defaults, optionality, argument mode, or table output columns.
- Raw parameter arrays preserve catalog order for scalar/aggregate/macro functions. Raw table arguments are alphabetical. Use callingConvention for engine-confirmed positional order and named arguments; null modes are unrecorded. Named does not mean optional. Macro defaults and special named variadic behavior are not supplied by duckdb_functions().
- Catalog examples are source material and may require data or extensions. runnableExamples contains separately verified SQL for the pinned WASM package; sample-data adaptations and guide examples are labeled separately.
- Guide annotations and recipes are separate editorial content. The browser runner always uses Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3, independently of the documentation snapshot.
- All URLs beginning with / are relative to the origin hosting this document. Exports require no JavaScript, cookies, API key, or browser engine.

## Overloads

### overload-f4ed6a14b01abafe

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(string: VARCHAR) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-f4ed6a14b01abafe

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| string | VARCHAR | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

### overload-f625de2701dd7c20

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(value: BIGINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-f625de2701dd7c20

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | BIGINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the `value` to binary representation.

### overload-69c12c9ccc06fc45

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(value: BIGNUM) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-69c12c9ccc06fc45

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | BIGNUM | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the `value` to binary representation.

### overload-1d618718351f0177

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(value: HUGEINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-1d618718351f0177

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | HUGEINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the `value` to binary representation.

### overload-c74d9cd4eca2899d

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(value: UBIGINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-c74d9cd4eca2899d

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | UBIGINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the `value` to binary representation.

### overload-abd1f425c43f485a

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_binary(value: UHUGEINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/to_binary/#overload-abd1f425c43f485a

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | UHUGEINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the `value` to binary representation.


## Guide recipes

No guide recipes.

## Engine catalog examples

Source examples may require additional data or extensions. Expressions are wrapped in SELECT; execution verification is not recorded.

Reported for: overload-f4ed6a14b01abafe

```sql
SELECT to_binary('Aa');
```

Reported for: overload-f625de2701dd7c20, overload-69c12c9ccc06fc45, overload-1d618718351f0177, overload-c74d9cd4eca2899d, overload-abd1f425c43f485a

```sql
SELECT to_binary(42);
```

## Runnable examples

Executed successfully in Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3. Sample data and guide examples are separate from the original catalog.

```sql
SELECT to_binary('Aa');
```

```sql
SELECT to_binary(42);
```

## Additional DuckDB documentation

- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text#text-functions-and-operators)
- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text.html#text-functions-and-operators)

## Observed availability

| Snapshot | Observed | Overloads | JSON |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| haybarn-1.5.5-rc3 | present | 6 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/haybarn-1.5.5-rc3/functions/to_binary.json) |
| duckdb-1.5.5 | present | 6 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.5.5/functions/to_binary.json) |
| duckdb-1.4.4 | present | 6 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.4.4/functions/to_binary.json) |
| duckdb-1.3.2 | present | 6 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.3.2/functions/to_binary.json) |

Engine catalog documentation is derived from MIT-licensed Haybarn and DuckDB. [Notices](/third-party-notices.txt).