CSV
Comma-Separated Values
A simple data format that separates values with commas.
In Simple Terms
CSV is a simple data format that records text and numbers separated by commas. For example, if you save an address book or sales data created in spreadsheet software as a CSV, you can open it and check the contents in a different program, like a plain text editor. It's widely used as a common format for exchanging data between different systems.
Behind the Name
The name "CSV" stands for "Comma-Separated Values" — a literal description of what it is: values arranged and separated by commas. True to its name, it refers to a file format where data values are separated by a "," (comma).
Take a Closer Look!
CSV is a simple file format that lines up data separated by commas.
Simply put, it's just plain text with no special formatting.
When you save a spreadsheet as CSV, each row becomes a line of text, with the cell values in that row separated by commas.
Line breaks mark where each row ends, so at first glance, it just looks like a simple sequence of characters.
Since it doesn't include formatting or formulas, the file size stays small.
Because this format isn't tied to any particular software, it's often used when moving data between different apps.
For example, it comes in handy when exporting customer data from one system and importing it into another database program.
Its simple structure is exactly why it continues to be used as a common data format supported by many systems.