what is csv

10 months ago 35
Nature

A CSV (comma-separated values) file is a text file format that uses commas to separate values. It stores tabular data in plain text, where each line of the file typically represents one data record. Each record consists of the same number of fields, and these are separated by commas in the CSV file. CSV is widely used for moving tabular data between programs that natively operate on incompatible formats, such as transferring information from a database program to a spreadsheet. It is a common data exchange format that is widely supported by consumer, business, and scientific applications. CSV files are easy to organize and can be opened in a wide variety of programs, including spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. They are used for importing and exporting important information, such as customer or order data, to and from databases.