3 ms·
CSVs are plain text, and that's huge, plus they have a few other advantages: 1. You can read them without any software 2. Streamable row by row 3. Compress w
by zepolen 5y ago
CSVs are plain text, and that's huge, plus they have a few other advantages:
1. You can read them without any software
2. Streamable row by row
3. Compress well
To be honest most of the points in this article could be addressed by standardizing a method of defining a schema for the CSVs. It could even be backward compatible by appending the definition as metadata on the header column or as a separate file.
One thing that would be good to have is a standardized method of indexing CSVs so that random access is possible too, though that would be more involved.
- jslaby 5y agoI think an ideal solution would be csv with json metadata elements as the header. If a program supports the header, then you get the metadata. If not, no big deal, you just get an ugly header.
- zepolen 5y agoPerhaps, though maybe something simpler and readable would be easier to get people to use name::string,number of legs::int,height in meters::float,date of birth::date(MM/DD/YYYY),email adress::email,website::url joe,2,1.76,12/12/1999,joe@joe.com,https://www.joe.com bob,1,1.84,12/12/1944,bob@vietnam.com,null