Compact discs, also known as CDs, are optical storage media that can store audio, video, software, and other digital data. A standard CD can hold up to 700MB of data. CDs use a laser to read very small pits burned into the reflective aluminum or metal layer on its surface. To use a CD, the disc is inserted into a computer's optical disc drive which uses a laser to detect the pits and translate them into digital information that can be accessed on the computer. CDs were a popular storage medium before being replaced by DVDs and USB flash drives which offer greater storage capacity.