What is a TSV file?
TSV — Tab-Separated Values
Use the format TSV
A concrete example
Prepare a CSV from an export where the columns are separated by tabs.
Useful checks
Check the tabs present in the values and the line breaks. Compare the number of lines and columns.
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?
TSV is a cousin of CSV, with one key difference: values are separated by tabs rather than commas.
This small change solves the most persistent problem with CSV. A comma appears naturally in text, in a price, in an address; a tab almost never does. The risk of confusion disappears.
History & origin
The format emerged from the same need as CSV, in the same era, and was long favored by scientists and statisticians — for exactly this reason.
It remains the default exchange format for many bioinformatics and data-processing tools.
Why it is useful
No ambiguity about the delimiter, which eliminates the main source of import errors.
It is just as lightweight and universal as CSV.
Limits & drawbacks
Tabs are invisible: there's no way to tell one apart from a run of spaces just by looking, which makes manual correction harder.
Some text editors silently convert tabs into spaces, corrupting the file without warning.
Practical tips
If your data contains commas, choose TSV over CSV: it will save you hours of debugging.
For spreadsheet use, converting to XLSX avoids any delimiter issues, since the structure is explicit.
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