How to Read CSV Files in Python Using CSV Module and Pandas (Examples Included) Best Guide 2025

👉How to Read CSV Files in Python

What is a CSV File? A CSV file (Comma Separated Values) is a type of plain text file that stores data in a tabular format. Each row is separated by a newline, and each column is separated by a comma. CSV files are widely used for data exchange due to their simplicity and compatibility with various platforms.

👉Sample CSV Data:

How to Read CSV Files in Python

Programming language, Designed by, Appeared, Extension

Python, Guido van Rossum, 1991, .py

Java, James Gosling, 1995, .java

C++, Bjarne Stroustrup, 1983, .cpp

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👉Reading CSV Files Using Python’s CSV Module

How to Read CSV Files in Python

👉Step 1: Import the CSV Module and Read File

import csv

with open(‘data.csv’, ‘r’) as file:

    data = csv.reader(file)

    for row in data:

        print(row)

👉How to Read CSV Files in Python Output:

[‘Programming language’, ‘Designed by’, ‘Appeared’, ‘Extension’]

[‘Python’, ‘Guido van Rossum’, ‘1991’, ‘.py’]

[‘Java’, ‘James Gosling’, ‘1995’, ‘.java’]

[‘C++’, ‘Bjarne Stroustrup’, ‘1983’, ‘.cpp’]

👉Step 2: Read CSV as a Dictionary

import csv

with open(‘data.csv’, ‘r’) as file:

    reader = csv.DictReader(file)

    for row in reader:

        print(row)

👉Output:

{‘Programming language’: ‘Python’, ‘Designed by’: ‘Guido van Rossum’, ‘Appeared’: ‘1991’, ‘Extension’: ‘.py’}

{‘Programming language’: ‘Java’, ‘Designed by’: ‘James Gosling’, ‘Appeared’: ‘1995’, ‘Extension’: ‘.java’}

{‘Programming language’: ‘C++’, ‘Designed by’: ‘Bjarne Stroustrup’, ‘Appeared’: ‘1983’, ‘Extension’: ‘.cpp’}

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👉Writing CSV Files Using Python’s CSV Module

import csv

with open(‘writeData.csv’, ‘w’) as file:

    writer = csv.writer(file)

    writer.writerow([‘Programming language’, ‘Designed by’, ‘Appeared’, ‘Extension’])

    writer.writerow([‘Python’, ‘Guido van Rossum’, ‘1991’, ‘.py’])

    writer.writerow([‘Java’, ‘James Gosling’, ‘1995’, ‘.java’])

    writer.writerow([‘C++’, ‘Bjarne Stroustrup’, ‘1983’, ‘.cpp’])

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👉Reading CSV Files Using Pandas Library

👉Step 1: Install Pandas Library

pip install pandas

👉Step 2: Read CSV with Pandas

import pandas as pd

result = pd.read_csv(‘data.csv’)

print(result)

👉Output:

Programming language  Designed by       Appeared Extension

0 Python                Guido van Rossum  1991      .py

1 Java                  James Gosling     1995      .java

2 C++                   Bjarne Stroustrup 1983      .cpp

👉Step 3: Write CSV Using Pandas

from pandas import DataFrame

C = {

    ‘Programming language’: [‘Python’, ‘Java’, ‘C++’],

    ‘Designed by’: [‘Guido van Rossum’, ‘James Gosling’, ‘Bjarne Stroustrup’],

    ‘Appeared’: [‘1991’, ‘1995’, ‘1983’],

    ‘Extension’: [‘.py’, ‘.java’, ‘.cpp’]

}

df = DataFrame(C)

df.to_csv(‘pandasData.csv’, index=False)

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