There are many different ways to arrange your stuff. Some of your stuff you may arrange one way for convenience. The other, for example, your set of tools – another way for efficiency. The same goes for your digital stuff, that is data. It can be stored in different formats. Two of such formats are JSON and CSV. Let us look at JSON vs. CSV data storing formats in terms of their differences, similarities and utility.
Different ways to record the same information
As information can be recorded in different ways, there are various data storage formats. But since not all datasets are the same, the choice of one format over another makes a difference. As businesses today deal with increasing quantities of important data, this choice of format should be made carefully and based on an understanding of different data and different formats.
Thus, comparing JSON vs. CSV means comparing different forms of text, in which data can be recorded, stored and exchanged. Recording data in a certain text format will mean writing it down following a certain set of syntax rules.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. JavaScript Object Notation abbreviated as JSON is a data format originally derived from this language. However, JSON format data can be generated by many programming languages.
The syntax of JSON format includes braces, brackets, commas and colons. This makes it useful for storing and exchanging various types of data. It also for the hierarchy and nesting features, which make it even more applicable for various data-handling needs. JSON is considered to be a more user-friendly alternative to XML, as the same information can be expressed in a more compact and simple way.
Comma-Separated Values (CSV)
CSV is the abbreviation for Comma-Separated Values, which already indicates the structure of the data stored in this format. The data is recorded in plain text, where each line contains one or several data values, separated by commas. Typically, CSV files store tabular data – numbers and text.
However, the CSV file does not always separate data fields only by commas. Some countries, mostly in Europe use comma as a decimal delimiter to note down fractions. For example, two and half could be expressed as 2,5, which in other countries would more usually be noted down with a dot – as 2.5. For this reason, the countries that use commas within numbers, to avoid the syntax clashing with the values, would use semicolons to separate value fields.
In both cases, CSV files remain very simple in their structures, compared to other data-storing formats. This also indicates the simplicity of information usually held in CSV files, as holding more complicated information would raise the risk of errors.
JSON vs. CSV: the important differences
Some of the most important differences when comparing JSON vs. CSV could already have been gathered from what has been said. Here are some things to note when choosing the right format for storing your data.
- JSON is more versatile than CSV. This means that JSON’s syntax allows to store more types of data without losing information and high risks of errors. As mentioned, it also supports hierarchical data and CSV does not.
- CSV is more compact than most other data storing formats, including JSON. Naturally, CSV also takes up less memory space.
- JSON is more scalable, meaning that more data can easily be added to it as it will be able to process it correctly. CSV is not very scalable as any additions might not be handled properly by the format.
- CSV is more secure than JSON.
Thus, JSON vs. CSV differences can be summed up by pointing out that JSON can do more, but also uses more memory, and CSV in doing less saves more and is simpler.
Best of both worlds
So, which format emerges as superior in the JSON vs. CSV battle, and which one should be used? Why not both?
The simple truth is that both formats have their merits and the most rational thing to do is take the best from both of them.
The key thing is to look at the type of files we need to store. CSV is best at holding tabular data, as it is a relatively uncomplicated type of data. Here all the advantages of CSV format can play out as it will save memory space and be simple to read for both humans and machines.
JSON is needed for data with more complicated structures when hierarchical order must be preserved and when we intend to perform more different actions with the data.
This means that both data formats are important and may be necessary for different data-handling needs. What really matters is to understand what type of data you are dealing with and how it should be handled for maximum utility.
