Comparison of popular optical data-storage systems

As of 2021, multiple consumer-oriented, optical-disk media formats are or were available: Compact Disc ("CD"): digital audio disc CD-R: write once read many (WORM) CD CD-RW: rewriteable CD DVD: digital video disc DVD-R: WORM DVD defined by the DVD Forum DVD-RW: rewritable DVD defined by DVD Forum DVD+R: WORM DVD defined by the DVD+RW Alliance DVD+RW: rewriteable DVD defined by DVD+RW Alliance DVD-RAM rewriteable, capable of random write access, not generally format-compatible with DVD Blu-ray Disc: DVD successor, capable of high-definition video BD-R: WORM Blu-ray Disc by the Blu-ray Disc Association BD-RE: rewriteable BD HD DVD: failed HD format defined by the DVD Forum Ultra HD Blu-ray: BD successor, capable of 4K resolution == Overview == === Nomenclature === In optical storage, three types of storage are usually recognized, and given customary abbreviations: read-only ("ROM"), Write once ("R") and read/writable ("RW", or for Blu-ray, "E" for "erasable"). Examples: CD-ROM represents the CD format, in its pre-recorded "read only" use DVD+R represents a DVD "+" disc which can be written once only DVD-RW represents a DVD "-" disc which can be read or written many times BD-RE represents a Blu-ray disc which can be read or written many times.

Source: Wikipedia — Comparison of popular optical data-storage systems (CC BY-SA 4.0)