A CSV file is a text file format that uses commas as delimiters to separate data items and is easy to create and read. It is a standard method for exporting and importing data from software applications, but is not secure. Tab-delimited files and XML are other text file formats.
In computing, there are many types of file formats. A comma separated value (CSV) is a special file formatted with commas as the delimiter between each data item. The comma is the flag that indicates the end and the beginning of a new data value in the file. This CSV file is often used by programs as a way to quickly parse data from one file to another.
A CSV file is one of the easiest files to create. It is a text file that uses commas to separate data items. This file is easy to read and understand for both humans and computer applications.
Many applications can export data in multiple file formats. This data can be easily shared and imported into other computer systems. The CSV file is a standard method for exporting and importing data from software applications. This type of functionality is supported by most Microsoft® products, including Microsoft Excel®.
Software developers have been using the CSV file format for many years. This is a simple method of delimiting data in a file, making it extremely flexible. It can be used by multiple operating systems and programming languages because it is based on a simple string text delimiter, which is common to all software programs.
From a security perspective, a CSV file is not considered a secure method for sharing data between computer systems. This is a plain text file and can easily be read and interpreted by computers. Most security professionals recommend encrypting this type of file before sharing it. This will limit data viewing to people with authorized access.
Most database programs use the CSV format. This simplifies importing and exporting data to a database. Data can also be downloaded in a CSV format for reporting purposes because most reporting tools also use this format.
A tab-delimited file is another example of a text file format. This file type is similar to a CSV file, except that it uses a special tab control character to separate data elements. The tab-delimited file format suffers from the same security issues as the CSV format and should also be encrypted.
Extensible Markup Language (XML) is another text file format. XML tag data elements, which create a shared data definition. An XML file is like a mini dictionary of the data in the file. This format has become a standard method of sharing data between computer systems and is vastly superior to a CSV format.
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