# Understanding metadata in Talend Studio

Talend Studio allows you to create and run Jobs using predefined components. You can configure each component as either a Built-in or a Repository component. A Repository component is saved as **metadata**.

For Built-in components, information (such as how to read the file and what it contains):

* is defined in the component,
* applies only to this component,
* cannot be reused with any other component.

For Repository components, information (such as how to read the file and what it contains):

* is saved as metadata,
* can be efficiently and consistently reused,
* can be easily maintained because changes to metadata can be propagated to all Jobs that use it.