CSV and XML explained
CSV is plain text where each line is a row and commas separate the fields. There is no formatting, no formulas, and no second sheet — which is precisely why every system on earth can read it.
XML is a markup language for hierarchical data, with elements, attributes and optional schema validation. It is more verbose than JSON but far more rigorous.
- Where CSV files come from
- Database exports, analytics tools and data interchange between systems.
- Where XML is used
- Enterprise integrations, RSS feeds, and document formats like DOCX and SVG.