What is CSV vs TSV?
CSV (comma-separated values) and TSV (tab-separated values) are both plain-text formats for tabular data. In CSV, fields are separated by commas; in TSV, by tab characters. Both formats are used for spreadsheet exports, database dumps, and data interchange. TSV avoids the need to quote fields that contain commas, making it simpler to parse by hand. CSV is more universal and supported by Excel out of the box. Converting between the two is often needed when moving data between systems that expect different delimiters.
How to use this tool
- 1 Choose "CSV → TSV" or "TSV → CSV" using the tab buttons.
- 2 Paste your data in the Input panel.
- 3 A preview table shows the first 5 rows of the parsed result.
- 4 Use the swap button (↔) to convert back the other direction.
Frequently asked questions
Are quoted fields handled correctly?
Yes. Fields containing commas, quotes, or newlines in CSV are properly quoted and escaped. The parser follows RFC 4180 for quoting and escape sequences.
What if my TSV fields contain tabs?
TSV does not provide an escaping mechanism for embedded tabs (unlike CSV's quoting). If your data contains literal tab characters in field values, conversion to TSV would produce a corrupt file. Use CSV if your data contains tabs.
Does it support headers?
Yes — headers are treated as the first row and are included in both the output and the preview table header row.
Is there a size limit?
There is no hard limit, but very large files (tens of MB) may be slow since everything is processed in the browser on the main thread.
Is my data uploaded to a server?
No. Parsing and conversion run entirely in your browser. Nothing is transmitted.