JSON and CSV Exports: Design Data Other Tools Can Use
Make exported data predictable by defining records, missing values, identifiers, validation, and the handoff to the next tool.
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Data Exports, in practice.
Read focused data exports articles and connect the ideas to the rest of your tools API workflow.
An export is an interface for another person or system. Its format should preserve identifiers, precision, text, relationships, and the meaning of missing values. A downloadable file is only the beginning of a successful handoff.
These articles examine JSON and CSV choices alongside the contract the consumer needs. Test the file with the actual receiving application, document date and unit conventions, and decide how schema changes are communicated. Good export design makes a result usable without requiring somebody to reverse-engineer the producer’s assumptions. Review question: Which fields could change meaning when the file is opened in the receiving application, and how would the consumer detect that change?