> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.are.na/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.are.na/docs/getting-started/blocks.md).
# Blocks
Pieces of content on Are.na
### What is a block?
Blocks are the individual pieces of content on Are.na.
A view of blocks in a grid
**A block can be:**
* a file (like an image, a PDF, a text file, etc)
* a URL (link to a webpage, a YouTube video, a SoundCloud link, etc)
* a piece of raw text
### Why are blocks special?
When a block is saved to Are.na, we try to extract as much metadata as we can from it.
For example:
* If the block is an image, we will save the original source, extract any text, get the dimensions, etc.
* For webpages and links, we extract the text of the page, take a screenshot, etc.
Blocks can also be connected to an infinite number of channels, which means that a public block on Are.na accumulates context over time (see [Connections](/docs/getting-started/connections.md)).
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