Open data Data formats

Comma-separated values (CSV)

  • Comma-separated values (CSV) files are compatible with all types of spreadsheet and data management software and can also be read and edited in a text editor. CSV files store tabular data (numbers and text) in plain-text form.

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)

  • JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange. It is derived from the JavaScript scripting language for representing simple data structures and associative arrays, called objects.

GeoJSON

  • This is a variety of JSON format that describes geographic properties in a standardised way. GeoJSON is becoming increasingly popular and is supported by a number of web mapping platforms.

Portable Document Format (PDF)

  • Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format used to represent documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems.

KML (Keyhole Markup Language)

  • KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is used to describe features on a map. The format is now available for anyone to use and is compatible with most freely available web mapping systems, including Bing Maps (Microsoft Ltd) and Google Maps.
  • More information on the KML file format

Compressed KML (KMZ)

Rich Text Format (often abbreviated RTF)

  • The Rich Text Format (often abbreviated RTF) is a proprietary document file format with published specification developed by Microsoft Corporation since 1987 for Microsoft products and for cross-platform document interchange.

Extensible Markup Language (XML)

  • Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.