TSV
Also known as: TSV file, .tsv, tab-separated values
TSV (tab-separated values) is a plain-text format for tabular data where each line is a row and a Tab character separates the columns. It works like CSV but uses tabs instead of commas as the field delimiter.
- Plain-text tables with Tab-separated columns
- Like CSV but uses tabs instead of commas
- Helps when values contain commas
How TSV stores tables
Each line in a `.tsv` file is one row, and a Tab character marks the boundary between columns. The first line is often a header naming each column. Spreadsheets and databases import and export TSV readily.
Because it is plain text, a TSV file opens in any editor and stays small, but it carries no fonts, formulas, or cell styling — just the raw values.
TSV vs CSV
TSV and CSV are nearly identical; the difference is the delimiter — tabs versus commas. Tabs help when the data itself contains commas (prices, addresses), since there is less need for quoting and escaping.