Same tabular data, different delimiter. CSV separates fields with commas; TSV separates them with tabs. These two tools swap one for the other — nothing more, nothing less. Pick by which delimiter your destination expects.
Use CSV → TSV when
- A tool or pipeline expects tab-separated input but you have a CSV file.
- Your fields contain commas, and tabs would avoid the quoting headaches.
- You're moving a spreadsheet export into a TSV-based system.
Use TSV → CSV when
- A tool or spreadsheet expects comma-separated input but you have TSV.
- You need the more universally recognized CSV format.
- You're preparing tab-separated data for a CSV-based import.
Side by side
| CSV → TSV | TSV → CSV | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | CSV → TSV | TSV → CSV |
| Input delimiter | Comma | Tab |
| Output delimiter | Tab | Comma |
| Header row preserved? | Yes | Yes |
| Quoted fields handled? | Yes — RFC 4180 parsing | Yes — RFC 4180 output |
| Runs 100% locally | Yes | Yes |
under the hood
One honest caveat: CSV → TSV is the lossy direction if a field contains an embedded newline — TSV can't keep it in one cell, so the converter refuses by default (with an escape option). TSV → CSV is always lossless because CSV quoting can hold anything.
bottom line
They're the same operation pointed in opposite directions — use whichever matches the direction you're converting. If your data has commas in fields, TSV is often the calmer format; if you need broad compatibility, CSV is the safer destination.