Rerecordable

Rerecordable is a term used to describe media, devices, or formats that can be recorded over and rewritten after an initial recording. It denotes erasable or rewritable capability, distinguishing such media from write-once formats that cannot be erased and reused.

Common examples include rewritable optical discs such as CD-RW, DVD-RW, and BD-RE, as well as certain magneto-optical and phase-change media. In the realm of digital storage, many flash-based devices (USB drives, SSDs) and RAM systems are effectively rerecordable, although they rely on wear leveling and erasing mechanisms to enable repeated writes.

Technically, rerecordable media either overwrite data directly or erase regions before writing new content. Erase cycles, data integrity, and compatibility with recording devices are key factors in usability. Endurance varies widely: optical rewritable formats typically offer thousands of rewrite cycles, while modern flash memory can reach tens of thousands, depending on design and usage patterns.

Rerecordability supports iterative editing, backups, testing, and temporary data storage, but is balanced by performance, cost, and durability limitations. Standards and formats continue to evolve to improve speed, reliability, and compatibility across devices.