CSV to JSON Converter
Table of Contents
- Convert CSV or TSV to JSON online with PicoToolkit
- How to use
- Conversion rules (exact behavior)
- Examples (copyable)
- 1) CSV with header → array of objects
- 2) No header → array of arrays
- 3) Quoted field with comma and multiline cell
- Tips & edge cases
- Related tools
- FAQ
- Does the converter infer numbers or booleans?
- What happens with quoted fields that contain separators or newlines?
- Can I upload a CSV file directly?
Convert CSV or TSV to JSON online with PicoToolkit
Convert CSV or TSV to JSON online with PicoToolkit
Quickly transform CSV/TSV data into clean JSON you can copy and use immediately. PicoToolkit’s browser tool converts pasted data using your chosen separator and an optional header row. No uploads or coding required.
How to use
- Paste CSV or TSV text into the input area (copy & paste only — no file upload).
- Select the column separator that matches your data (comma, semicolon, pipe, space, tab).
- Check “Header in first row” if the first row contains column names — those become object keys in the output.
- Click Convert and use the Copy button to take the JSON to your clipboard.
Conversion rules (exact behavior)
- Header handling: when “Header in first row” is checked, the first row is used as keys and the output is an array of objects: [{key1: "value", key2: "value"}, ...]. If not checked, output is an array of arrays: [["v1","v2"], ...].
- All values are returned as strings. The converter does not perform type inference — numbers, booleans and empty values remain string values in the JSON.
- Quoted fields are preserved as single cell values (separators inside quotes do not split a field).
- Multiline cells inside quoted fields are preserved as newline characters inside the string value.
- Empty CSV cells produce empty strings ("") in the resulting JSON.
- Separator selection controls column splitting only; it does not alter data beyond parsing into fields.
- Output formatting: the tool provides copyable JSON. Use the output as-is; no inline scripts or additional wrapping are added.
Examples (copyable)
1) CSV with header → array of objects
Input CSV:
name,age,city
Alice,30,Seattle
Bob,25,Portland
Output JSON:
[
{"name":"Alice","age":"30","city":"Seattle"},
{"name":"Bob","age":"25","city":"Portland"}
]
2) No header → array of arrays
Input CSV:
Alice,30,Seattle
Bob,25,Portland
Output JSON:
[
["Alice","30","Seattle"],
["Bob","25","Portland"]
]
3) Quoted field with comma and multiline cell
Input CSV:
id,desc
1,"Large, multi-use item"
2,"Note line1
line2"
Output JSON:
[
{"id":"1","desc":"Large, multi-use item"},
{"id":"2","desc":"Note line1\nline2"}
]
Tips & edge cases
- Choose the exact separator used in your source — using the wrong separator will misalign columns.
- If your first row contains field names, enable the header option to produce readable objects with keys instead of arrays.
- Because all values are strings, convert types downstream if numbers or booleans are required by your workflow.
- Browser limits: the tool works via copy & paste in the browser. Very large inputs may be constrained by browser memory limits; for large datasets consider chunking input or using a local tool.
Related tools
FAQ
Does the converter infer numbers or booleans?
No. All CSV fields are returned as strings. If you need typed values, convert them after copying the JSON into your processing environment.
What happens with quoted fields that contain separators or newlines?
Quoted fields are treated as single cell values. Separators inside quotes do not split the cell. Newlines within quoted fields are preserved as newline characters in the JSON string.
Can I upload a CSV file directly?
No. This tool accepts copy & paste only. Inputs are limited by the browser’s available memory.