A CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file is a plain text file that stores tabular data (numbers and text) in a simple, structured format. Each line of the file represents a row in the table, and the values within each row are separated by commas. CSV files are widely used for data exchange between different applications and systems because of their simplicity and compatibility. They can be easily opened and edited in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice Calc, as well as text editors. The simplicity of the format makes it easy to parse and generate programmatically, making it a popular choice for exporting and importing data in various software applications, databases, and data analysis tools. While the standard specifies commas as delimiters, other characters like semicolons or tabs are sometimes used, especially in locales where commas are used as decimal separators. CSV files do not support complex formatting, formulas, or multiple sheets like more advanced spreadsheet formats.