papaparse vs csv-parser vs json2csv vs @json2csv/plainjs
CSV Processing Libraries Comparison
1 Year
papaparsecsv-parserjson2csv@json2csv/plainjsSimilar Packages:
What's CSV Processing Libraries?

CSV processing libraries are essential tools in web development that facilitate the conversion between JSON and CSV formats, enabling easier data manipulation, storage, and transfer. These libraries cater to different needs, such as parsing CSV files, converting JSON data to CSV, and providing user-friendly interfaces for handling large datasets. They are particularly useful in applications that require data export/import functionality, data analysis, and reporting. By leveraging these libraries, developers can streamline data workflows and enhance the user experience when dealing with tabular data.

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papaparse3,866,65613,083264 kB2102 months agoMIT
csv-parser1,400,6711,46929.5 kB585 months agoMIT
json2csv1,060,1262,72551.2 kB172 years agoMIT
@json2csv/plainjs282,812338210 kB5a year agoMIT
Feature Comparison: papaparse vs csv-parser vs json2csv vs @json2csv/plainjs

Parsing Capabilities

  • papaparse:

    papaparse supports both parsing and generating CSV data, making it versatile for various use cases, including handling malformed CSV and streaming large files.

  • csv-parser:

    csv-parser excels in parsing CSV files efficiently and can handle large datasets with minimal memory footprint, making it a great choice for server-side applications.

  • json2csv:

    json2csv provides robust parsing capabilities, allowing for complex JSON structures to be converted into well-structured CSV files, including support for nested objects.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    @json2csv/plainjs focuses solely on converting JSON to CSV, offering a straightforward approach without parsing CSV files.

Performance

  • papaparse:

    papaparse offers excellent performance for both parsing and generating CSV, with features like web workers to enhance speed and responsiveness in the browser.

  • csv-parser:

    csv-parser is designed for high performance and low memory usage, making it suitable for processing large CSV files in real-time without significant overhead.

  • json2csv:

    json2csv is efficient for generating CSV from JSON, but performance can vary based on the complexity of the JSON structure being converted.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    @json2csv/plainjs is lightweight and performs well for simple JSON to CSV conversions, but may not be optimized for very large datasets.

Customization

  • papaparse:

    papaparse offers a range of customization options for both parsing and generating CSV, including error handling, delimiter settings, and callback functions for processing data.

  • csv-parser:

    csv-parser has limited customization options as it focuses primarily on parsing CSV data without additional formatting features.

  • json2csv:

    json2csv provides extensive customization options, including the ability to define custom headers, delimiters, and formatting rules for the output CSV.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    @json2csv/plainjs allows for basic customization of the output format, but lacks advanced configuration options.

Ease of Use

  • papaparse:

    papaparse is user-friendly with a clear API and comprehensive documentation, making it easy to implement for both beginners and experienced developers.

  • csv-parser:

    csv-parser has a simple API for parsing CSV files, but may require additional handling for complex CSV structures, which could pose a slight learning curve.

  • json2csv:

    json2csv has a more complex API due to its extensive features, but it provides detailed documentation to assist developers in leveraging its capabilities effectively.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    @json2csv/plainjs is straightforward to use for simple conversions, making it beginner-friendly for developers new to CSV generation.

Community and Support

  • papaparse:

    papaparse boasts a strong community and comprehensive documentation, with numerous examples and resources available to assist developers.

  • csv-parser:

    csv-parser has a growing community and is well-documented, providing good support for developers facing issues during implementation.

  • json2csv:

    json2csv has a large user base and extensive documentation, along with community support, making it easier to find solutions and examples.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    @json2csv/plainjs has a smaller community and limited support compared to more established libraries, which may affect the availability of resources.

How to Choose: papaparse vs csv-parser vs json2csv vs @json2csv/plainjs
  • papaparse:

    Use papaparse if you need a versatile library that can handle both CSV parsing and generation in the browser and Node.js. It offers features like streaming, file reading, and worker threads for performance optimization, making it ideal for client-side applications.

  • csv-parser:

    Select csv-parser if your primary requirement is to parse CSV files efficiently in Node.js. It is designed for speed and low memory usage, making it suitable for processing large CSV files in a streaming manner.

  • json2csv:

    Opt for json2csv if you require a comprehensive solution for converting JSON to CSV with advanced features like customizable headers, formatting options, and support for nested objects. It is well-suited for applications that need robust CSV generation capabilities.

  • @json2csv/plainjs:

    Choose @json2csv/plainjs if you need a lightweight solution for converting JSON to CSV without any dependencies. It is ideal for simple use cases where you want to quickly generate CSV from JSON data.

README for papaparse

Parse CSV with JavaScript

Papa Parse is the fastest in-browser CSV (or delimited text) parser for JavaScript. It is reliable and correct according to RFC 4180, and it comes with these features:

  • Easy to use
  • Parse CSV files directly (local or over the network)
  • Fast mode
  • Stream large files (even via HTTP)
  • Reverse parsing (converts JSON to CSV)
  • Auto-detect delimiter
  • Worker threads to keep your web page reactive
  • Header row support
  • Pause, resume, abort
  • Can convert numbers and booleans to their types
  • Optional jQuery integration to get files from <input type="file"> elements
  • One of the only parsers that correctly handles line-breaks and quotations

Papa Parse has no dependencies - not even jQuery.

Install

papaparse is available on npm. It can be installed with the following command:

npm install papaparse

If you don't want to use npm, papaparse.min.js can be downloaded to your project source.

Usage

import Papa from 'papaparse';

Papa.parse(file, config);
    
const csv = Papa.unparse(data[, config]);

Homepage & Demo

To learn how to use Papa Parse:

The website is hosted on Github Pages. Its content is also included in the docs folder of this repository. If you want to contribute on it just clone the master of this repository and open a pull request.

Papa Parse for Node

Papa Parse can parse a Readable Stream instead of a File when used in Node.js environments (in addition to plain strings). In this mode, encoding must, if specified, be a Node-supported character encoding. The Papa.LocalChunkSize, Papa.RemoteChunkSize , download, withCredentials and worker config options are unavailable.

Papa Parse can also parse in a node streaming style which makes .pipe available. Simply pipe the Readable Stream to the stream returned from Papa.parse(Papa.NODE_STREAM_INPUT, options). The Papa.LocalChunkSize, Papa.RemoteChunkSize , download, withCredentials, worker, step, and complete config options are unavailable. To register a callback with the stream to process data, use the data event like so: stream.on('data', callback) and to signal the end of stream, use the 'end' event like so: stream.on('end', callback).

Get Started

For usage instructions, see the homepage and, for more detail, the documentation.

Tests

Papa Parse is under test. Download this repository, run npm install, then npm test to run the tests.

Contributing

To discuss a new feature or ask a question, open an issue. To fix a bug, submit a pull request to be credited with the contributors! Remember, a pull request, with test, is best. You may also discuss on Twitter with #PapaParse or directly to me, @mholt6.

If you contribute a patch, ensure the tests suite is running correctly. We run continuous integration on each pull request and will not accept a patch that breaks the tests.