How Can I Store Data as Bytes and Separate Different Values?

What you're referring to is often called "serialization." A good approach for your array would be to write the length first (which has a fixed byte size), followed by the actual items in the array. This way, when you read the file, you know exactly how many elements to expect based on that length byte.

While it’s great to experiment, keep in mind how others will interpret your code later! Readability and maintainability are crucial. If someone else needs to work with your storage method, make sure it’s clear and understandable; otherwise, it could become a headache for them down the line.

People have been solving this problem for decades, and now it’s usually termed ‘serialization’. You might want to check out something like Protocol Buffers for a solid example. It allows you to encode messages efficiently, using strategies like length-prefixing for easy distinction between fields—giving you a lot of flexibility while saving space. If your goal is simply to make the data less readable without compression, consider compressing your JSON data with gzip, along with an extra header to keep it from being recognized as just plain compressed data.

One straightforward method is to make the first byte of your array indicate its length. This method was also used in older programming languages for strings. It's a simple but effective way to know how many elements you'll be reading.

Instead of using arbitrary delimiters, consider structuring your data with a pattern like tag-length-value. This allows you to read the data based on the length you specify, making it simpler to parse your data without confusion.

It seems like you've stumbled into an interesting issue! Just remember, all files, including text formats, are just sequences of bytes. You could easily open .dat or .json in a text editor and see what looks like gibberish. When working with text files, consider using a schema where you might store each piece of data on a new line. This makes it much easier to read and manage the data when you load it back into your program.