CSV to JSON refers to the process of converting data stored in a CSV (Comma Separated Values) format into a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format.
CSV: A simple text format used for tabular data, where each line represents a row and values within that row are separated by commas.
JSON: A lightweight data-interchange format that's easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. It stores data in key-value pairs, arrays, or objects.
The Conversion Process:
CSV Format: Data is organized in rows and columns, with the first row usually containing column headers.
pgsql
Name, Age, City
John, 30, New York
Jane, 25, London
JSON Format: Data is represented as key-value pairs within objects, often nested in arrays.
json
[
{
"Name": "John",
"Age": 30,
"City": "New York"
},
{
"Name": "Jane",
"Age": 25,
"City": "London"
}
]
Why Convert CSV to JSON?
Structured Data: JSON allows for more complex and hierarchical data structures, unlike CSV which is flat.
Interoperability: JSON is widely used in web applications and APIs for data exchange, especially in modern programming languages.
Readability: JSON is more readable and easier to work with programmatically compared to CSV, especially for nested or more complex data.
How the Conversion Works:
CSV Headers: The first row of a CSV file is typically treated as the keys (field names) in the resulting JSON object.
Data Rows: Each subsequent row in the CSV becomes an individual object in the JSON array, with each field corresponding to the value of the key from the CSV header.