bitstream

A bitstream is a sequence of bits (0s and 1s) that conveys information. It is the basic unit used in digital transmission and storage, representing encoded data at the lowest logical level. Unlike a byte stream, which is aligned to 8-bit units, a bitstream is considered at the bit level and may not align on byte boundaries during processing. In practice, bitstreams are often structured with framing markers and synchronization information to allow a receiver to identify where units begin and end and to recover timing.

In communications, bitstreams are transmitted over channels and can be affected by noise. Systems add error detection and correction, and use clock recovery and framing to maintain alignment. Bitstreams may be multiplexed or interleaved to carry multiple data channels over a single link.

In data compression and multimedia, encoders produce bitstreams describing the compressed content. A decoder reads the bitstream to reconstruct the original samples. Bitstreams often include entropy-coded data (for example, Huffman or arithmetic coding) and syntax elements that describe structure, timing, and parameters. Some standards describe fixed-format bitstreams, while others use flexible, extensible formats.

Bitstreams are central to video, audio, and general data transmission, and they enable streaming and storage at a granularity that matches the encoding method. They are typically processed by specialized software or hardware that performs parsing, error handling, and decoding to produce usable data.