Dateitxt

Dateitxt is a simple, human-readable text-based data format designed for recording time-stamped entries. It emphasizes compactness and ease of parsing, aiming to be usable with lightweight tooling and small-scale data exchange.

Format and syntax

In Dateitxt, each non-empty line represents a single record. The recommended default line format is a timestamp in ISO 8601 UTC, followed by a tab, then a message or payload. Example: 2025-04-01T12:34:56Z\tUser login successful. Optional fields can be added for more structure, such as a tag or severity level, separated by a delimiter like a tab or a vertical bar. Lines starting with a hash character (#) are treated as comments and ignored. Some variants support metadata headers at the top, using lines that begin with ## to define key=value defaults for subsequent records. The encoding is typically UTF-8.

Record structure and extensions

Dateitxt supports simple, flat records, making it easy to read manually. For richer logging, records may include fields for source, level, or subsystem, using a fixed-field approach or a delimiter-separated layout. Comment lines and metadata headers help with readability and configuration, while preserving compatibility with basic text editors. Since there is no single formal standard, implementations vary in details, but the core principle remains: keep timestamps precise and keep the payload human-readable.

Use cases and interoperability

Typical use cases include application logs, audit trails, and lightweight time-series records where human inspection is valuable. Dateitxt is designed to be interoperable with other line-oriented formats such as JSON Lines or CSV by providing simple conversion tools, though it prioritizes readability over full schema support.

Notes

Dateitxt is a conceptual, line-oriented format described for illustration and may not correspond to a formal standardized specification in all contexts. See also JSON Lines, CSV, and plain TXT.