What is CSV?
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple text file format used to store tabular data. Learn what CSV files are, how they work, and when to use them.
CSV is a plain text file format that stores tabular data — rows and columns — where each value is separated by a comma. It is one of the simplest and most portable data formats, supported by virtually every spreadsheet application, database, and programming language.
CSV File Structure
A CSV file contains rows of data, each on a new line. Within each row, values are separated by commas. The first row often serves as a header defining column names. Example: name,age,city Alice,30,New York Bob,25,London Charlie,35,Tokyo
CSV Rules & Edge Cases
• Values containing commas must be wrapped in double quotes: "Smith, John" • Values containing double quotes must escape them by doubling: "He said ""hello""" • Line endings can be LF (\n) or CRLF (\r\n) • Some variants use semicolons (;) or tabs (\t) as delimiters instead of commas
Where is CSV Used?
CSV is used everywhere data needs to move between systems: • Exporting data from Excel or Google Sheets • Importing contacts into email clients or CRMs • Transferring records between databases • Feeding data into data analysis tools like Python pandas or R • E-commerce product catalog uploads
Try it yourself
Format your dataAbout CSV
CSV has been in use since the early days of computing and was formally described in RFC 4180 in 2005. Despite its simplicity — or because of it — CSV remains one of the most universally supported data formats. It has no schema, no types, and no nesting, making it easy to generate and parse with minimal tooling.
FAQ
- What does CSV stand for?
- CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values.
- What is the difference between CSV and Excel (XLSX)?
- CSV is plain text with no formatting, formulas, or multiple sheets. Excel (XLSX) is a binary format that supports rich features. CSV is more portable and compatible across different systems.
- Can CSV files store images or rich text?
- No. CSV is a plain text format and can only store text values. It cannot store images, formatting, or binary data.
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