Bytes

Bytes are a virtual currency added in the Research Update. Bytes are used to purchase/unlock new schematics. Bytes are gained by researching various objects in the Research Chamber ranging from Research Items (high output but rare) to Resources (cheap but low output), or by collecting harvestables from various plants, rocks or Astroneer bodies. Bytes are shared between all players in a multiplayer game, along with any schematic unlocks.

Research Sample
Research Samples spawn on various plants and rocks around the planets, as well inside of the EXO Dynamics Research Aids scattered on the planets. Organic and mineral samples respawn within a few minutes of being gathered. They can be a valuable source of bytes, with the amount gained increasing based on which planet and how deep the player goes. However, the game is able to glitch and organic/mineral samples may completely disappear from all planets.

Research Item
Research Items grant a slow, steady stream of bytes when placed in a Research Chamber. The amount gained per item increases based on the depth and which planet the item was found on.

Resources
Resources not listed here can't be researched.

Soil Centrifuge
While it used to be the most effective way to gain bytes, the soil centrifuge provides only a small boost to the number of bytes one produced, as the number of units per tank has been drastically nerfed, and titanite no longer being available.

Octet Bytes