Tab Delimited
Tab Delimited
Tab Delimited refers to a data file format where each field is separated by a tab character, making it easier for computers to read and process the data. This format is often used in spreadsheets and databases.
What does Tab Delimited mean?
Tab Delimited is a data format that separates data fields using the tab character (ASCII code 9). Each row represents a record, and each tab-separated field represents a different attribute or Variable. Tab Delimited data files typically have a .txt or .tsv (Tab-Separated Values) file extension.
Tab Delimited files are simple to create and read, making them suitable for various applications. They are also human-readable, allowing users to inspect the data easily without specialized software. Tab Delimited format maintains data integrity and allows for easy manipulation, sorting, and analysis.
Applications
Tab Delimited is widely used in various fields due to its simplicity and efficiency.
- Data Exchange: Tab Delimited files facilitate easy data exchange between different systems or software applications.
- Spreadsheets: Tab Delimited files can be seamlessly imported into Spreadsheet Software like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or OpenOffice Calc for data manipulation and analysis.
- Databases: Tab Delimited files can be imported into relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle to create tables and populate them with data.
- Data Science: Tab Delimited format is commonly used in data science and Machine Learning for data preprocessing, feature extraction, and model training.
- Text Processing: Tab Delimited data can be easily parsed and manipulated using text processing libraries in various programming languages.
History
The concept of using the tab character as a field separator originated in early computer systems. In the 1960s, IBM’s mainframe computers used tab characters to separate data fields on punched cards. This practice continued with the advent of text editors and data processing tools.
In the 1980s, with the rise of personal computers and spreadsheet software, Tab Delimited became a popular data format for data exchange. It was supported by early spreadsheet programs like Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Tab Delimited format gained widespread adoption in the tech industry. It was commonly used in web applications, E-commerce platforms, and data warehouses. Today, Tab Delimited remains a widely accepted and versatile data format for storing, exchanging, and processing data.