Can i save files to mysql database or do i have to store them in my project directory? [duplicate]

//Can i store files to mysql database or do i need to add them to a directory in my machine? //Im am using php pdo method for backend in web development. //I used this code but it only saves to a folder:

    <?php
    $target_dir = "uploads/";
    $target_file = $target_dir . basename($_FILES["fileToUpload"]["name"]);
    $uploadOk = 1;
    $imageFileType = strtolower(pathinfo($target_file,PATHINFO_EXTENSION));

    // Check if image file is a actual image or fake image
    if(isset($_POST["submit"])) {
    $check = getimagesize($_FILES["fileToUpload"]["tmp_name"]);
    if($check !== false) {
    echo "File is an image - " . $check["mime"] . ".";
    $uploadOk = 1;
    } else {
    echo "File is not an image.";
    $uploadOk = 0;
    }
    }

    // Check if file already exists
    if (file_exists($target_file)) {
    echo "Sorry, file already exists.";
    $uploadOk = 0;
    }

    // Check file size
    if ($_FILES["fileToUpload"]["size"] > 500000) {
    echo "Sorry, your file is too large.";
    $uploadOk = 0;
    } 

    // Allow certain file formats
    if($imageFileType != "jpg" && $imageFileType != "png" && $imageFileType != "jpeg"
    && $imageFileType != "gif" ) {
    echo "Sorry, only JPG, JPEG, PNG & GIF files are allowed.";
    $uploadOk = 0;
    }

   // Check if $uploadOk is set to 0 by an error
   if ($uploadOk == 0) {
   echo "Sorry, your file was not uploaded.";
   // if everything is ok, try to upload file
   } else {
   if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES["fileToUpload"]["tmp_name"], $target_file)) {
    echo "The file ". htmlspecialchars( basename( $_FILES["fileToUpload"]["name"])). " has been 
   uploaded.";
    } else {
    echo "Sorry, there was an error uploading your file.";
    }
     }
     ?>