Comma Separated Value
The CSV (Comma Separated Value) format is a straightforward (mostly) way of transfering data between programs. It is typically used for spreadsheet and database applications because it is suited to data arranged in a table, that is, made up of rows and columns.
In it's simplest form a CSV file consists of records and fields. The records are separated by any combination of linefeeds, carriage control, or a carriage control linefeed pairs. Fields are separated by commas and any leading or trailing spaces are removed from fields.
As is the case with most exchange formats since XML, CSV files have become somewhat of a legacy format. New applications that wish to include an export format will generally use XML today (though there may be exceptions). In legacy systems though (pre-XML), CSV files had indeed become a de facto industry standard. Just as there are still billions of lines of CoBOL code in use today that need to be maintained, support for a legacy standard such as CSV is likely to be required long after it has stopped being implemented in new designs.
