General overview

The Replicate File endpoint can be used either as a source or as a target. When used as a source, the File endpoint requires the source files to be in delimited text file format. When used as a target, the File endpoint generates the data files either in delimited text file format (CSV) or in JSON format (according to the format selected in the endpoint settings).

Delimited text files are used to store data in tabular format. Examples of delimited text file formats include the CSV (Comma Separated Values) and TSV (Tab Separated Values) formats. Some organizations may implement procedures that export data from a database to a delimited text file while others may simply prefer this format as a convenient way of storing tabular data.

In a delimited text file, each record in the table occupies a separate row. Delimiters are used to mark the beginning of a new row or the beginning of a new column. Virtually any character can be used as a delimiter, although a newline (\n) is often used to separate rows, and commas are commonly used to separate columns.

In JSON files, each record is represented by a single line.

So, for example, the following table:

Will be represented as:

{ "book_id": 123, "title": "Angels", "price": 6.99, "is_hardcover": false }

{ "book_id": 456, "title": "Fallen", "price": 6.49, "is_hardcover": true }

{ "book_id": 789, "title": "Rise Up", "price": 7.23, "is_hardcover": true }

 

See also File source overview and File target overview.