1. Introduction
The comma-separated values (CSV) format has been used for many years to exchange and convert data between spreadsheet programs. Surprisingly, although this format is very common, it has never been formally documented. In addition, while the IANA MIME registration tree includes a registration for the "text/tab-separated-values" type, no MIME type has ever been registered with IANA for CSV. At the same time, various programs and operating systems have started using different MIME types for this format.
This RFC documents the format of comma-separated values (CSV) files and formally registers the "text/csv" MIME type for CSV according to RFC 2048 [1].
Background
The CSV format plays an important role in data exchange, but the lack of a single specification has led to significant differences among implementations. This document aims to:
- Standardize the format definition: Provide a common format definition followed by most implementations.
- Register the MIME type: Formally register the "text/csv" MIME type for Internet applications.
- Promote interoperability: Provide a reference baseline for exchanging CSV data between systems.
Scope
This document applies to:
- Spreadsheet programs
- Data conversion tools
- Web applications
- Any system that needs to process or generate CSV-formatted data