CSV ↔ JSON
Convert CSV to JSON and JSON to CSV. Handles headers, custom delimiters, and quoted fields.
How to use
- 1 Select the direction: CSV → JSON or JSON → CSV.
- 2 Choose the delimiter that matches your file (comma, semicolon, pipe, or tab) using the radio buttons.
- 3 The first row of your CSV is treated as the header and becomes the JSON object keys.
- 4 Click Copy to grab the converted output, or Download CSV when converting JSON → CSV.
Key features
- Bidirectional: CSV → JSON and JSON → CSV
- Manual delimiter selection: comma, semicolon, pipe, or tab
- First CSV row is treated as the header and becomes JSON object keys
- Handles quoted fields with commas inside correctly
CSV and JSON — Two Worlds of Data
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a flat, tabular format — rows and columns, no nesting. It dates back to the 1970s and remains the universal language for spreadsheet exchange. JSON supports nested objects and arrays, making it better for hierarchical data but more verbose for simple tables.
Converting between them is a daily task when moving data between spreadsheets, APIs, and databases. The main gotcha: JSON arrays of objects map cleanly to CSV rows, but deeply nested JSON structures flatten awkwardly — the converter handles one level of nesting.
Common Use Cases
Importing spreadsheet data into APIs
Convert a CSV export from Excel or Google Sheets into JSON to POST it to a REST API or seed a database.
Exporting JSON arrays to spreadsheets
Convert an API response or database query result from JSON to CSV so it can be opened in Excel.
ETL pipeline prep
Transform data between formats as part of an extract-transform-load process between data sources.
Test data generation
Convert a CSV of test fixtures to a JSON array for seeding in-memory databases or unit test fixtures.
Email list management
Convert contact lists from CRM CSV exports to JSON for use in email marketing API requests.
Chart and data viz input
Transform CSV data into a JSON structure compatible with Chart.js, D3.js, or similar libraries.
CSV Format Variants
Not all "CSV" files are comma-delimited — knowing the actual delimiter saves headaches.
| Variant | Delimiter | Common origin |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | , | Spreadsheets, most APIs, database exports |
| TSV | \t (tab) | Excel "Text (Tab delimited)", PostgreSQL COPY |
| DSV / pipe | | | Legacy banking/finance exports |
| Semicolon | ; | Excel in locales where comma is a decimal separator |