CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a lightweight, plain-text file format used for storing tabular data. Each line represents a data record, with individual values separated by commas. Designed for easy data exchange between spreadsheets, databases, and applications, CSV supports simple, structured data representation without complex formatting or metadata.
Lightweight, human-readable, universally supported, easily parsed by most programming languages, compact file size, simple structure, minimal overhead, compatible with numerous data tools and platforms, excellent for large datasets and data transfer.
Limited data type support, no built-in formatting, no support for complex nested structures, potential issues with special characters, lacks data validation, requires careful handling of delimiters and encoding, no native support for formulas or complex relationships.
CSV is widely used in data analysis, scientific research, financial reporting, customer relationship management, and data migration. Common applications include spreadsheet imports/exports, database transfers, log file storage, statistical data processing, and bulk data exchange between different software systems and platforms.