A CSV (comma-separated values) file is a text file format that uses commas to separate values. It stores tabular data in plain text, where each line of the file typically represents one data record. Each record consists of the same number of fields, and these are separated by commas in the CSV file. If the field delimiter itself may appear within a field, fields can be surrounded with quotation marks. CSV files are commonly used to move data between programs that natively operate on incompatible formats. They are a way to exchange structured information, like the contents of a spreadsheet, among programs that cant necessarily talk to one another directly. CSV files can be opened in text editors, spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, or other specialized applications. They are mostly used for importing and exporting important information, such as customer or order data, to and from databases.