CSV File Format Primer

The .csv file format is a general purpose method of storing data. CSV stands for Comma Separated Values and is generally used to store data the can be arranged in rows and columns. Each row represents a record and the columns represent data values (or fields) for that record. A simple example for the use of a .csv file is an address book. The data could include a record (or row) for each person and the records might contain the following information: name, street address, city, state and zip code.

Example address book in .csv file format with a header (or title) row:

Name,Street Address,City,State,Zip Code
John Video,10 Main Street,Springfield,PA,19331
Mary Ray,18 Oak Lane,Lincoln,WA,92231