How do CSV and ODTcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Comma-Separated Values
CSV is the simplest tabular data format — rows of values separated by commas. It's the universal exchange format for data between databases, spreadsheets, and programming languages.
Open Document Text
ODT is an open-standard document format used by LibreOffice, OpenOffice, and Google Docs. It's the free, vendor-neutral alternative to DOCX for word processing.
| Specification | CSV | ODT |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Comma-Separated Values | Open Document Text |
| Extension | .csv | .odt |
| MIME type | text/csv | application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | IBM (original concept) | OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) |
| Year introduced | 1972 | 2005 |
CSV and ODT serve different purposes. CSV is ideal for data import and export, while ODT excels at government and public sector documents.
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