What is a INI file?
INI — historical configuration
Use the format INI
A concrete example
Prepare a JSON from the sections of an INI file.
Useful checks
INI rules vary depending on the software. Check for repeated keys, empty values, and comments.
Choose a conversion
Keep the original and open the result in the software or on the device that will need to use it.
Your questions about this format
Why does my JSON change structure when converted to CSV?
CSV represents a table of rows and columns. JSON can contain objects and nested lists that do not transpose directly. Convert a copy, check how the fields are represented, and keep the JSON if your usage requires retaining its entire structure.
How can one avoid losing the leading zeros in identifiers?
When opening the CSV in a spreadsheet, import the identifier columns as text. Automatic opening can turn 00123 into 123. Also check the dates and decimal separators before re-saving.
Can I convert a file containing secrets?
Remove passwords, API keys, and other secrets before sending a sample to the service or support. File processing is done online. For data that must not leave your device, use a suitable local tool.
Why aren't all outputs offered?
Formats are not interchangeable in all cases. ConvertLab displays the conversions from its catalog; renaming an extension does not change the content. Specialized outputs like certain XML exports or spreadsheets are identified as NoLimit.
What is it?
The INI file is the ancestor of all configuration formats: sections in brackets, and under each one, keys paired with values. Disarmingly simple.
Its weakness can be summed up in one sentence: it was never standardized. Every piece of software interprets it its own way — comments marked with a semicolon or a hash sign, values with or without quotes, nested sections that may or may not be supported.
History & origin
The format took hold with the earliest versions of Windows, back in the 1980s, as the standard way to store a program's settings.
It was officially superseded by the registry, but largely outlived that replacement: countless programs still favor it, precisely because it's simple and can be edited in any text editor.
Why it is useful
Absolute simplicity — readable and editable by anyone, with no special tools or expertise required.
It's perfectly suited to flat configurations made up of a few dozen settings.
Limits & drawbacks
No standard: two programs won't necessarily read it the same way.
No data types, no lists, no real nesting. Beyond a couple of levels, it becomes unworkable.
Practical tips
For a modern project, convert your INI files to TOML: you'll keep the readability while gaining an actual specification.
To use the configuration within a program, JSON will be easier to parse.
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Convert a INI