Reading a TSV (Tab-Separated Values) file in Python involves parsing the file and extracting structured data where each field is separated by a tab character (\t). In this article, we will use a sample file named GeekforGeeks.tsv to demonstrate how to read data from a TSV file.
Using read_csv(sep='\t')
Pandas library provides a powerful read_csv() function and by simply setting sep='\t', you can handle TSV files effortlessly. It reads the entire file into a structured DataFrame, making it perfect for data analysis and manipulation.
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv('GeekforGeeks.tsv', sep='\t')
print(df)
Output
Explanation: pd.read_csv(...) reads a tab-separated file using pandas and stores the data in df, a DataFrame that simplifies viewing, analyzing and handling tabular data.
Using csv.reader()
This method is great if you're looking for a lightweight and built-in solution. Python’s csv module can read TSV files just by setting the delimiter to '\t'. It reads the file line by line and returns each row as a list.
import csv
with open("GeekforGeeks.tsv", newline='') as file:
tsv_reader = csv.reader(file, delimiter='\t')
for row in tsv_reader:
print(row)
Output
Explanation: csv.reader() reads the TSV file line by line, splitting each row into a list using the tab ('\t') delimiter. Each line is printed as a list of values.
Using Generator expression
This is a minimal and memory-friendly approach for quick tasks or when working with very large files line by line. It doesn't require any libraries and processes each line as it’s read.
with open("GeekforGeeks.tsv") as f:
data = (line.strip().split('\t') for line in f)
for row in data:
print(row)
Output
Explanation: Generator expression read the file line by line, strips any leading spaces, splits the line by tabs and prints each row as a list.
Using csv.DictReader()
If you want to access each row using column headers as keys, csv.DictReader() is a perfect fit. It reads each row into a dictionary where keys are the column names, making your code more readable.
import csv
with open('GeekforGeeks.tsv', newline='') as f:
reader = csv.DictReader(f, delimiter='\t')
for row in reader:
print(row)
Output
Explanation: csv.DictReader() reads the TSV file and returns each row as an ordered dictionary, using the first line of the file as column headers.