When binary files (i.e. executables) are saved they usually have a format (e.g. ELF or .out) where we have a header containing pointers to where data or code is stored inside the file. But why don't we store the binary files directly in the form of sequence of machine instructions.
Why do we need to store data separately from the code?
Secondly when the assembler creates a binary file is the file is among the above formats?