text/csv
The MIME type for CSV data, standardised in RFC 4180. The lingua franca for tabular data in HTTP responses and email attachments.
Typical extensions
Primary uses
- Downloads from web forms (sales reports, member lists)
- Input and output in data-analysis pipelines
- Pasting into Excel or a BI tool
In a browser
Most browsers download CSV. Specifying `charset=utf-8` in the Content-Type parameter helps Excel avoid mojibake on some locales.
On a server
For very large exports, stream with `Transfer-Encoding: chunked` so clients see the first rows faster.
In email
Common as an attachment, but watch for CSV Injection — user-generated cells beginning with `=` or `+` can execute when opened in Excel.