diff --git a/Doc/library/csv.rst b/Doc/library/csv.rst index 3ea7cd210f729d..7bcf7bb2526b6a 100644 --- a/Doc/library/csv.rst +++ b/Doc/library/csv.rst @@ -14,23 +14,24 @@ -------------- -The so-called CSV (Comma Separated Values) format is the most common import and -export format for spreadsheets and databases. CSV format was used for many -years prior to attempts to describe the format in a standardized way in -:rfc:`4180`. The lack of a well-defined standard means that subtle differences -often exist in the data produced and consumed by different applications. These -differences can make it annoying to process CSV files from multiple sources. -Still, while the delimiters and quoting characters vary, the overall format is -similar enough that it is possible to write a single module which can -efficiently manipulate such data, hiding the details of reading and writing the -data from the programmer. +The Comma Separated Values (CSV) format is the most common import and +export format for spreadsheets and databases. The standard format is columns +of text data separated by a comma delimiter. :rfc:`4180` defines the standard +for how CSV data is presented before being processed. + +The lack of a well-defined standard meant that subtle differences often existed +in the data produced and consumed by different applications, making it annoying +to process CSV files from different sources. Still, while the delimiters and +quoting characters vary, the overall format is similar enough that it is possible +to write a single module which can efficiently manipulate such data, hiding the +details of reading and writing the data from the user. The :mod:`csv` module implements classes to read and write tabular data in CSV -format. It allows programmers to say, "write this data in the format preferred -by Excel," or "read data from this file which was generated by Excel," without -knowing the precise details of the CSV format used by Excel. Programmers can -also describe the CSV formats understood by other applications or define their -own special-purpose CSV formats. +format. For example, the module allows programmers to say, "write this data in the +format preferred by Excel," or "read data from this file which was generated by Excel," +without knowing the precise details of the CSV format that is understood by Excel. +Programmers can also describe CSV formats that are understood by other applications or +define their own dialects (CSV formats) for specific use cases. The :mod:`csv` module's :class:`reader` and :class:`writer` objects read and write sequences. Programmers can also read and write data in dictionary form