| Type | Optical Disc |
| Invention | Invented in 1982 jointly by Sony and Philips |
| Storage Capacity | Standard CD: Around 700 MB of data, or 80 minutes of audio |
| Diameter | 12 cm (standard), 8 cm (mini CD) |
| Disc Format | ISO 9660 file system, UDF, or a variety of music disc formats |
| Reading Method | Data on the CD is read by a 780 nm wavelength (near infrared and red edge) semiconductor laser, which scans the disc |
| Write Methods | Read-Only (CD), Recordable (CD-R), Rewriteable (CD-RW) |
| Usage | Music, Software, Data, Video (VCD), Rewritable discs for various applications |
| Advantages | Highly portable, Durable if properly cared for, Universally compatible with most computers and CD players |
| Disadvantages | Limited storage capacity compared to modern alternatives, Can be easily scratched, Not suitable for backups or archiving in the long-term |
