Tag
Text Files
Plain text files: encodings, line endings, byte order marks, and the quiet differences that make a file look fine on one machine and broken on another.
15 posts
Line Endings Explained: LF vs CRLF and Why Files Look Broken
Why a text file shows everything on one line or ^M characters: how LF, CRLF and CR line endings differ across Windows, macOS and Linux, and how to convert them.
Text File Encodings Explained: UTF-8, UTF-16, ANSI and the BOM
Why text files show strange characters: how UTF-8, UTF-16 and Windows code pages differ, what a byte order mark does and how to fix encoding problems.
Plain Text vs Rich Text Files: .txt, .rtf, .md and .docx Compared
Understand the difference between plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), Markdown (.md) and Word (.docx) files, what each can hold and when to use each.
What Is a Log File? How to Read One and What to Look For
A log file is a time-ordered text record of what a program did. Learn what .log files contain, how to read them and how to find the line behind a problem.
What Is a .env File? Environment Variables for Your App
A .env file stores environment variables as KEY=value lines so an app can read its settings and secrets. Learn what dotenv files are and how they work.
What Is an INI File? Format, Uses and How to Edit One
An INI file stores settings as sections and key=value lines. Learn what .ini files are, where Windows and other software use them, and how to open them.
What Is a TOML File? A Beginner's Guide to the Config Format
TOML is a configuration file format designed to be obvious to read. Learn what a .toml file is, its basic syntax, where it is used and how to edit one safely.
What Is an XML File? Structure, Uses and Examples
XML is a text format that describes data with nested tags. Learn what an .xml file contains, where XML is used, and how it differs from HTML and JSON.
What Is a YAML File? Syntax, Uses and How to Open One
A YAML file stores structured data in a readable, indentation-based format. Learn the syntax, where .yml and .yaml files are used and how to edit them safely.
Fix Garbled Characters in CSV Files: Encoding Problems Explained
Accented letters turning into symbols in a CSV? That is an encoding mismatch. Learn UTF-8 vs ANSI, the byte order mark and how to open the file correctly.
CSV vs TSV vs Tab-Delimited Files: What Is the Difference?
CSV uses commas, TSV uses tabs, and .tab files vary. Learn the differences, when tab-delimited files are safer and how to detect which delimiter a file uses.
What Is a CSV File? A Plain-English Guide
A CSV file stores a table as plain text, with values separated by commas. Learn how CSV works, what it can and cannot hold, and where you will use one.
What Is a JSON File? Structure, Uses and How to Read One
A JSON file stores data as text using objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans and null. Learn what JSON is, where it is used, and how to read a .json file.
How to Open and Edit .md Files on Android
Android has no built-in Markdown viewer, so .md files often fail to open. Here is how to open, read and edit Markdown files on an Android phone or tablet.
What Is a Markdown (.md) File and How Do You Open One?
A Markdown file is plain text with light formatting symbols. Learn what .md files are, how they differ from Word files, and how to open and edit one anywhere.