Data Type Detector
Upload a CSV and instantly see the detected type of every column — integer, float, date, boolean, or string.
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What does the data type detector do?
Upload a CSV file and the tool automatically detects the most likely data type for each column - integer, decimal, date, boolean, or string. This is essential before importing data into databases, APIs, or statistical software.
Data types explained
- Integer: Whole numbers (123, -45, 0). No decimal point.
- Decimal/Float: Numbers with decimals (123.45, 0.001). May use scientific notation.
- Date: Recognises common date formats (YYYY-MM-DD, DD/MM/YYYY, Jan 15 2024, etc.).
- Boolean: True/false, yes/no, 1/0, on/off.
- String: Text that doesn't fit other types. Default fallback.
Why data type detection matters
Databases require knowing the type before import. Sorting a column of "numbers" stored as text sorts them alphabetically ("10" before "2"). Type mismatches cause silent failures in calculations. Detecting types upfront prevents data quality issues downstream.
How detection works
The tool samples each column and checks if values match type patterns. If 90%+ of a column looks like dates, it's flagged as a date column. The "confidence" score shows how certain the detection is.
Frequently asked questions
What if my column is mixed types?
The tool defaults to "string". You may need to clean the column or specify the type manually.
Does it handle Excel-formatted dates?
It detects most common date formats, but Excel serial dates (43831) are detected as integers - you may need to convert first.