Drop a CSV or Excel file into csv-api and get a fully working REST API back in under ten seconds. No code. No infrastructure. No deploy.
What it does
Instant CSV to REST API is the heart of csv-api. You upload a spreadsheet, we detect the columns and types, you confirm, and you're handed a JSON endpoint that anyone with an API key can query. The same data you used to email around as an attachment is now a live, paginated, filterable, sortable HTTP resource — without you writing a single line of backend code.
How it works
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1
Upload your file
Drag and drop a .csv, .xlsx, or .xls file into the dashboard. We support multi-sheet Excel workbooks — pick the sheet you want during import.
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2
Preview and confirm
We auto-detect headers and column data types (integer, float, boolean, date, string). Rename columns if you need to, then click Confirm.
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3
Query your API
Your dataset gets a unique public ID and a permanent endpoint at /api/v1/datasets/:id/records. Authenticate with a Bearer token and start fetching JSON immediately.
See it in action
# 1. Upload customers.csv via the dashboard
# 2. Query it immediately
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
"https://csv-api.com/api/v1/datasets/d_a8f3bc91/records?per_page=2"
{
"data": [
{ "name": "Alice", "age": 32, "city": "Portland" },
{ "name": "Bob", "age": 28, "city": "Portland" }
],
"meta": { "total": 47, "page": 1, "per_page": 2, "total_pages": 24 }
}
Why it matters
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Zero backend work
No models, no migrations, no controllers, no deploy pipeline. The API exists the moment your upload finishes.
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Production-ready out of the box
HTTPS, CORS, rate limiting, pagination, filtering, and authentication are all included by default.
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No schema definition
Column types are inferred from your data. If your CSV has an 'age' column full of integers, the API treats 'age' as an integer field automatically.
The problem it solves
Building a REST API for tabular data is repetitive busywork. You spin up a server, define a model, write a controller, add filtering, add pagination, add auth, deploy it — and at the end you have an API that does what a CSV could already do. Instant CSV to REST API skips that entire ladder.
Common use cases
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Hackathons and weekend prototypes that need a backend in minutes
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Internal tools where the data lives in a spreadsheet a non-developer maintains
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Replacing brittle Google Sheets API hacks with a real REST endpoint
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Standing up demo data for a portfolio site or product walkthrough
Try Instant CSV to REST API for yourself
Create a free csv-api account, upload a file, and see your API live in under a minute.