CSV Delimiter Detector

A delimiter is the character that separates values in a CSV or similar file. The most common is the comma (,), giving 'comma-separated values.' Tab ( ) is used for TSV files. Pipe (|) and semicolon (;) are common in European data exports. The delimiter determines how the file is split into columns.

When you receive a file without knowing its format, auto-detection analyzes the first lines and suggests the most likely delimiter based on consistency of column counts.

Detection can fail when data contains the delimiter inside quoted fields (e.g. 'Smith, John' in a CSV) or when multiple delimiters appear with similar frequency. Files with inconsistent column counts (missing values, malformed rows) also reduce confidence. In these cases, manually select the delimiter and verify the preview. For complex files, consider a dedicated ETL tool or script.

After detection or manual selection, the preview shows the parsed data as a table. Use it to verify the delimiter is correct — columns should align with your expectations. If values appear in the wrong columns, try a different delimiter. The line and column counts help you confirm the structure before importing into a database or spreadsheet.