Tab Separated Values (TSV)and Comma Separated Values (CSV) are the two file type extensions used to load a set of data. A .tsv file will have tab separated values whereas .csv file has comma separated fields. These types of files are used to get raw data for many purposes possible. Most of the Text Editors can read both the type of files. TSV extension files are more efficient for many applications in programming languages like javascript, tensorflow etc. Also, in a TSV file rows and columns are easily distinguishable. CSV files are used more in fields like machine learning, data analysis, deep learning. Both the types of files are highly used in Data Science related fields. The basic idea for the classification of files is based on the handling of delimiters and newline characters of a particular dataset.
The differences in tabular format:
| Parameter | .CSV file | .TSV file |
| Literal Meaning | A .csv file contains comma separated values | A .tsv file contains Tab separated values. |
| File Data Format | Plaintext | Tabular format |
| Origin of type | Spreadsheet or any database | Spreadsheet |
| Readability | Not Easy to read for humans | Easy to read for humans |
| Efficiency | It is less efficient. | It is more Efficient |
| Supportability | Most softwares can read a .csv file | Not many softwares can read a .tsv file. |
| Ease | It is complicated to work with in some cases | It is easy to work with |
| Examples | “250010605000007”,”8″,”67″,”31″,”98″,”68.367346938775510″,”HOMEM” “250010605000008”,”8″,”101″,”30″,”131″,”77.099236641221370″,”HOMEM” “250010605000009”,”8″,”137″,”44″,”181″,”75.690607734806630″,”HOMEM” “250010605000010”,”8″,”114″,”30″,”144″,”79.166666666666670″,”HOMEM” “250010605000011”,”1″,”213″,”117″,”330″,”64.545454545454550″,”HOMEM” | x y 5 90 21 30 45 50 61 55 85 25 |
| Advantages | >It is highly used > It is difficult to understand >Highly compatible with many softwares and tools. | > It is technically better > It is easy to understand |
| Applications | Used in data Analytics, Machine Learning, Visualization and Data Analysis tools. | Used for exporting and exchanging data among various databases. It is also used in retrieving database data. |
In a crux, it depends upon your application for which you are using the data file. The TSV file format is a more constructive and a more technically sound format. Whereas CSV is more prevalent and is being used more than its counterpart. Also, handling delimiters becomes easy in case of using a TSV file. So it is evident that TSV file is the better version of a CSV file but it is the CSV file that is winning the popularity battle here.
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