[Yandex Cloud documentation](../../index.md) > [Yandex Object Storage](../index.md) > [Concepts](index.md) > Bucket

# Bucket in Object Storage

A _bucket_ is an Object Storage storage unit allocated for user data. Each Yandex Cloud bucket has a [unique name](#naming) used in requests to Object Storage.

Buckets store data as [objects](object.md). To organize data, you can create multiple buckets or use [folders](object.md#folder) (prefixes) within a single bucket.

You can also use buckets to [host static websites](hosting.md).

For more information on getting started with buckets, see [Getting started with Yandex Object Storage](../quickstart.md).

You can [create a bucket](../operations/buckets/create.md) via the [management console](https://console.yandex.cloud), [CLI](../../cli/quickstart.md), [Terraform](../../terraform/resources/storage_bucket.md), [API](../../api-design-guide/concepts/general.md), or using popular [tools](../tools/index.md) designed to work with the Amazon S3 HTTP API.

## Naming buckets {#naming}

A bucket name is used as part of the data access URL and is visible to your users, e.g., `https://storage.yandexcloud.net/bucket-name`.

The naming requirements are as follows:

- Bucket names are unique throughout Object Storage, i.e., you cannot create two buckets with the same name, even in different folders of different clouds. Keep this in mind if you are going to create buckets automatically through the API.
- Bucket names are subject to the following restrictions:

   * The name must be from 3 to 63 characters long.
   * The name may contain lowercase Latin letters, numbers, hyphens, and periods.
   * The first and last characters must be letters or numbers.
   * The characters to the right and left of the period must be letters or numbers.
   * The name must not look like an IP address, e.g., `10.1.3.9`.

When choosing a name for your bucket, keep in mind that names containing dots are used for [static website hosting](hosting.md). You may encounter a name conflict that will prevent you or another user from hosting a website in Object Storage.

{% note warning %}

If you want to use your [own domain](../operations/hosting/own-domain.md) to access the bucket, the bucket name must be an exact match of your domain, e.g., `example.com`.

{% endnote %}

## Bucket URL {#bucket-url}

You can use the following URL formats to access a bucket:


* `http(s)://storage.yandexcloud.net/<bucket_name>?<parameters>`
* `http(s)://<bucket_name>.storage.yandexcloud.net?<parameters>`


{% note info %}

If you use the [AWS SDK for .NET](../tools/aws-sdk-net.md), access the `s3.yandexcloud.net` host.

{% endnote %}


## Accessing a bucket via HTTPS {#bucket-https}

Object Storage supports secure connections over HTTPS.

{% note info %}

If you use such URLs as `http(s)://<bucket_name>.storage.yandexcloud.net`, the HTTPS protocol is available for the bucket only if the bucket name does not contain dots, e.g.:

* `https://example.storage.yandexcloud.net`: HTTPS is available for this bucket.
* `http://example.ru.storage.yandexcloud.net`: HTTPS is not available for this bucket.

This is because Object Storage uses [Wildcard certificates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcard_certificate) that only support one level of subdomains.

To provide HTTPS support for a bucket with a dot in the name, [upload your own security certificate](../operations/hosting/certificate.md) to Object Storage.

{% endnote %}

For more information on HTTPS support when hosting websites in Object Storage, see [Hosting static websites](hosting.md).


{% note alert %}

Starting August 1, 2025, Object Storage no longer supports the TLS protocol versions 1.0 and 1.1.

For more information, see [TLS protocol](tls.md).

{% endnote %}



## Bucket settings {#bucket-settings}

You can:

- [Limit the maximum bucket size](../operations/buckets/limit-max-volume.md).

    Object Storage will not allow you to upload an object if doing so leads to exceeding the maximum bucket size.

- Set the default [storage class](storage-class.md).

     By default, objects uploaded to a bucket are saved with the storage class specified for that bucket.

- Configure a bucket for [static website hosting](hosting.md).
- Upload a [CORS configuration](cors.md) for a bucket.
- Enable [bucket encryption](../operations/buckets/encrypt.md).

    By default, objects added to the bucket are encrypted with the specified [KMS key](../../kms/concepts/key.md).

- Set up [object lifecycles](lifecycles.md).


## Accessing buckets from Yandex Virtual Private Cloud cloud networks {#access-via-vpc}

To make Object Storage buckets accessible from VPC cloud networks directly, use a [VPC service connection](../../vpc/concepts/private-endpoint.md). With this connection, you can access Object Storage via VPC [internal IP addresses](../../vpc/concepts/address.md#internal-addresses) without any Internet access.

For more information on configuring access, see [Accessing a bucket using a service connection from Yandex Virtual Private Cloud](../operations/buckets/access-via-vpc.md).


## Public access to buckets {#bucket-access}

Object Storage incorporates several access management mechanisms. To learn how these mechanisms interact, see [Access management methods in Object Storage: Overview](../security/overview.md).

By default, bucket access is restricted, as specified in the [IAM](../../iam/concepts/index.md) settings. You can [enable public access](../operations/buckets/bucket-availability.md):

- [To read objects](../s3/api-ref/object/get.md) in a bucket.
- [To view the list of objects](../s3/api-ref/bucket/listobjects.md) in a bucket.
- To read settings:
    - [CORS](../s3/api-ref/cors/get.md)
    - [Static website hosting](../s3/api-ref/hosting/get.md)
    - [Object lifecycles](../s3/api-ref/lifecycles/get.md)

Public access to each operation is granted separately. This means, if you have granted only read access to your objects, anonymous users cannot get the list of objects and bucket settings.

{% note warning %}

Public access is granted to an unlimited number of anonymous users. Use it only when other access grant mechanisms are not available.

{% endnote %}

If required, you can configure permissions to the buckets and objects they contain using [ACLs](acl.md) or the [access policy](policy.md).


## Statistics {#stats}

Object Storage automatically delivers bucket performance metrics to [Yandex Monitoring](../../monitoring/index.md).

Performance statistics are available on the [bucket page](../operations/buckets/get-stats.md#storage-ui) or in the [Monitoring interface](../operations/buckets/get-stats.md#monitoring).

For the list of metrics delivered to Monitoring, see the [reference](../metrics.md).

You can also access aggregate bucket statistics [through the Yandex Cloud CLI](../operations/buckets/get-info.md#get-statistics).


## Recommendations and limitations {#details-of-usage}

- Updating bucket information may take up to 20 minutes. Therefore, sometimes the specified maximum bucket size may be exceeded (e.g., during fast sequential upload of multiple objects).
- In the management console, the information about the number of objects in the bucket and used up space is updated with a delay.
- You cannot rename buckets.
- The number of buckets does not affect the performance of Object Storage. How many buckets you use to store your data is up to you.
- Buckets cannot be nested.
- You can only delete an empty bucket.
- After you delete objects from a bucket, the vacated space is not considered free for a while longer.
- After deleting a bucket, you may not be able to create a new one with the same name right away. There is also a risk that another Yandex Cloud user may create a bucket with this name before you claim it again. Do not delete buckets without a good reason.

  {% note info %}

  If you limit the maximum size of a bucket, it may remain temporarily unavailable for writes even after you free up enough space for new objects.

  {% endnote %}


## Use cases {#examples}

* [Mounting Object Storage buckets to the file system of Yandex Data Processing hosts](../tutorials/data-processing-init-actions-geesefs.md)
* [Connecting a bucket as a disk in Windows](../tutorials/s3-disk-connect.md)
* [Automatically copying objects from one Object Storage bucket to another](../tutorials/bucket-to-bucket.md)
* [Regular asynchronous recognition of audio files in Object Storage buckets](../tutorials/batch-recognition-stt.md)
* [Creating an external table from a bucket table using a configuration file](../tutorials/mgp-config-server-for-s3.md)

### See also {#see-also}

* [Access management methods in Object Storage: Overview](../security/overview.md)