Files kept in buckets
A team might keep product photos, customer uploads, and backups in S3. Each stored item is called an object. Objects go into named buckets that the team creates. This way of storing data is called object storage.
An app can upload a file to a bucket and retrieve it later. S3 stores the file separately from the server running the app.
Choose who can access it
A bucket can hold public images or private customer data. Teams set rules for who can view or change its contents. A mistaken public setting can expose private data in a data breach. S3 stores data, but it does not manage customer records like a database.