Format Atlas

Numeric precision and conversion

Large integers and decimal fractions may change when a receiving program parses them into a limited-precision number type.

Formats

JSONJSON is a text format that represents structured data with keys and values. It is widely used for web APIs and configuration files.CSVCSV is a text format that represents tabular data with rows and delimiters. It suits simple table exchange but does not retain XLSX formulas, formatting, or multiple sheets.ParquetApache Parquet stores tabular data by column, organized into row groups and column chunks. Analytics tools can read needed columns without scanning every field.AvroApache Avro serializes records according to a schema that can be expressed in JSON. Its types include records, arrays, maps, and unions; readers and writers need compatible schemas.

Compare

CSV vs JSONCSV represents tabular records; JSON represents structured values such as objects and arrays. Choose based on the shape of the data and the receiving system.JSON Lines vs ParquetJSON Lines stores an independent JSON value on each UTF-8 text line. Parquet is a binary column-oriented file with row groups and column chunks.JSON Lines vs AvroJSON Lines stores one JSON value per UTF-8 line for record-by-record processing. Avro encodes typed records using a writer schema and can store schema metadata with data blocks.Avro vs JSONApache Avro is a schema-based serialization system with compact binary encoding and an object container file that carries its schema. JSON is a human-readable text interchange format; Avro also defines a JSON encoding.

Guides

Choosing a Data Exchange FormatStart with the receiving system's specification. Use JSON for structured API data, XML where an integration requires its schema, and CSV for a single table.Choose a format for analytics and data exchangeChoose among columnar analytics, schema-based record exchange, and human-readable tables based on your platform and data types.

Related formats and reading

File formatsA file format defines how data is represented and interpreted. Choose one by the recipient's software, editing needs, fidelity and long-term access, not by extension alone.MIME typesA MIME type identifies the kind of content, often as type/subtype such as image/jpeg. It helps browsers and services handle files, but should be checked against the actual content.

References and specifications