# Formats CoordinatorDB reads rows with `INSERT ... FORMAT` and writes query results with `SELECT ... FORMAT`. A format can support input, output, or both. The default output format is `pretty_compact`. Format names are case-insensitive. Use the snake_case names listed below; ClickHouse CamelCase names are not aliases. ## Formats overview | Format | Input | Output | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ------ | | [arrow](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/arrow/arrow) | Yes | Yes | | [arrow_stream](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/arrow/arrow-stream) | Yes | Yes | | [avro](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/avro/avro) | Yes | Yes | | [avro_confluent](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/avro/avro-confluent) | Yes | Yes | | [bson_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/bson-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [csv](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/csv/csv) | Yes | Yes | | [csv_with_names](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/csv/csv-with-names) | Yes | Yes | | [csv_with_names_and_types](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/csv/csv-with-names-and-types) | Yes | Yes | | [custom_separated](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/custom-separated/custom-separated) | Yes | Yes | | [custom_separated_with_names](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/custom-separated/custom-separated-with-names) | Yes | Yes | | [form](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/form) | Yes | No | | [geo_json](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/geo-json) | Yes | Yes | | [hash](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/hash) | No | Yes | | [hive_text](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/hive-text) | Yes | Yes | | [json](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json) | Yes | Yes | | [json_as_object](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-as-object) | Yes | No | | [json_as_string](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-as-string) | Yes | No | | [json_columns](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-columns) | Yes | Yes | | [json_compact](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-compact) | No | Yes | | [json_compact_columns](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-compact-columns) | Yes | Yes | | [json_compact_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-compact-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [json_compact_each_row_with_names_and_types](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-compact-each-row-with-names-and-types) | Yes | Yes | | [json_compact_strings_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-compact-strings-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [json_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [json_object_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-object-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [json_strings_each_row](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/json/json-strings-each-row) | Yes | Yes | | [line_as_string](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/line-as-string/line-as-string) | Yes | Yes | | [markdown](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/markdown) | No | Yes | | [msg_pack](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/msg-pack) | Yes | Yes | | [npy](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/npy) | Yes | Yes | | [null_output](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/null-output) | No | Yes | | [parquet](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/parquet/parquet) | Yes | Yes | | [parquet_metadata](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/parquet/parquet-metadata) | Yes | No | | [png](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/png) | No | Yes | | [pretty_compact](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/pretty/pretty-compact) | No | Yes | | [protobuf](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/protobuf/protobuf) | Yes | Yes | | [regexp](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/regexp) | Yes | No | | [row_binary](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/row-binary/row-binary) | Yes | Yes | | [row_binary_with_names](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/row-binary/row-binary-with-names) | Yes | Yes | | [row_binary_with_names_and_types](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/row-binary/row-binary-with-names-and-types) | Yes | Yes | | [sql_insert](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/sql-insert) | No | Yes | | [sql_values](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/sql-values) | Yes | Yes | | [sqlite](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/sqlite) | Yes | Yes | | [tab_separated](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/tab-separated/tab-separated) | Yes | Yes | | [tab_separated_raw](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/tab-separated/tab-separated-raw) | Yes | Yes | | [tab_separated_with_names](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/tab-separated/tab-separated-with-names) | Yes | Yes | | [tab_separated_with_names_and_types](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/tab-separated/tab-separated-with-names-and-types) | Yes | Yes | | [template](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/template/template) | Yes | Yes | | [tskv](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/tab-separated/tskv) | Yes | Yes | | [vertical](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/vertical) | No | Yes | | [xml](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/xml) | No | Yes | | [yaml](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/formats/yaml) | Yes | Yes | Use [format settings](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/settings/formats) in a statement's `SETTINGS` clause. These settings apply to one statement and are not persisted by `SET`. On an `INSERT`, put `SETTINGS` before `FORMAT`: the bytes after the format name are input data. ## Reading and writing data Create a destination table: ```sql CREATE TABLE people (id UInt32, name String); ``` Read two CSV rows in a separate request: ```sql INSERT INTO people FORMAT csv 1,Ada 2,Grace ``` Write the same rows as one JSON object per line: ```sql SELECT id, name FROM people ORDER BY id FORMAT json_each_row; ``` ```text {"id":1,"name":"Ada"} {"id":2,"name":"Grace"} ``` Inline input occupies the rest of its request. Send later SQL in another request. For client files, see the [loading guide](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/guides/clickhouse/data-formats/intro). ## Format schema Schema-bearing containers include Arrow, Parquet, Avro, NumPy, and SQLite. Input values must still satisfy the destination column declarations. The `protobuf` format uses the statement settings `protobuf_schema` and `protobuf_message` for its inline schema and message name. The `avro_confluent` format resolves schema identifiers through its configured schema registry. See their format pages for complete examples. A container schema does not replace an explicit server `file()` schema except for the input formats that support inference or supply fixed metadata columns. See [file schemas](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/concepts/features/interfaces/schema-inference).