Inputdatcsv

Inputdatcsv is a hypothetical data interchange format based on the CSV (comma-separated values) paradigm, intended for representing input data in data-processing pipelines. It emphasizes human readability and compatibility with standard CSV tooling, while allowing optional metadata to constrain field types.

Core characteristics include a header row that defines field names, and subsequent rows that provide corresponding values. An optional schema line may declare field types and constraints, enabling basic validation without a separate schema file. The format typically uses UTF-8 encoding and standard CSV quoting rules.

Each record corresponds to a single data item, with missing values represented by empty fields. Values containing separators or quotes are enclosed in double quotes, with inner quotes escaped by doubling them. Line endings may be LF or CRLF to accommodate different platforms.

Applications of inputdatcsv include data ingestion, logging, and interchange between components in data pipelines. It remains simple and widely supported by CSV parsers, but its lack of a formal, universally adopted specification means validator implementations and extensions vary between projects.

Example:

id,timestamp,value,unit

123,2025-01-01T00:00:00Z,42.7,Celsius

#SCHEMA: id:int,timestamp:datetime,value:float,unit:string

See also: CSV, data ingestion, data interchange formats.