JSON vs CSV
Comparing JavaScript Object Notation and Comma-Separated Values — which format should you use?
| JSON | CSV | |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | JavaScript Object Notation | Comma-Separated Values |
| Extension | .json | .csv |
| MIME Type | application/json | text/csv |
| Category | data | data |
JSON Pros
- +Human-readable and writable
- +Native support in every programming language
- +Lightweight and fast to parse
- +The standard for web APIs
JSON Cons
- -No comments allowed in standard JSON
- -No date type (dates stored as strings)
- -No support for binary data
- -Large files with deeply nested structures
CSV Pros
- +Universally compatible
- +Human-readable plain text
- +Tiny file sizes
- +Easy to generate and parse programmatically
CSV Cons
- -No data type information (everything is text)
- -No standard for encoding or escaping
- -No support for hierarchical data
- -No formatting, formulas, or multiple sheets
Use JSON when...
- -REST API request/response data
- -Configuration files
- -Data storage and exchange
- -Web application state management
Use CSV when...
- -Data export/import between applications
- -Database dumps
- -Spreadsheet data exchange
- -Data analysis and reporting