NodeJS Import CSV Into Database (Simple Example)

Welcome to a tutorial on how to import a CSV file into the database with NodeJS. So you need to “convert” a CSV file into database entries in your project? Well, it is a 2-step process of “read CSV file” and “insert into database” – Read on for a simple example!

 

 

TLDR – QUICK SLIDES

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

QUICK SETUP

Run npm i sqlite3 csv-parser to install the required modules.

 

PART 1) DUMMY DATABASE

1A) USERS TABLE

CREATE TABLE users (
  id INTEGER,
  name TEXT NOT NULL,
  email TEXT NOT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY("id" AUTOINCREMENT)
);

For this example, we will work with a simple user table. Should be pretty self-explanatory.

• id User ID. Primary key and auto-increment.
• name User name.
• email User email.

 

 

1B) CREATE USERS DATABASE

// (A) REQUIRED MODULES
const fs = require("fs"),
sqlite = require("sqlite3");

// (B) CREATE DUMMY DATABASE
const db = new sqlite.Database("users.db", err => {
  if (err) { console.log(err); }
  else {
    db.exec(fs.readFileSync("1a-users.sql", "utf8"));
    db.close();
    console.log("Database created");
  }
});

Next, this little snippet will read the above SQL and create the actual database file.

 

PART 2) DUMMY CSV FILE

Joa Doe,joa@doe.com
Job Doe,job@doe.com
Joe Doe,joe@doe.com
Jog Doe,jog@doe.com
Joi Doe,joi@doe.com
...

As for the CSV file, we will use this list of names and emails.

P.S. CSV is just a “normal text file”, the columns are separated with a comma. CSV – Comma-separated values. Get it?

 

 

PART 3) IMPORT CSV INTO DATABASE

// (A) REQUIRED MODULES
const sqlite = require("sqlite3"),
fs = require("fs"),
csv = require("csv-parser");
 
// (B) IMPORT CSV
// (B1) OPEN DATABASE & CSV FILE
const db = new sqlite.Database("users.db");
fs.createReadStream("2-users.csv")
.pipe(csv({ headers : false }))
 
// (B2) INSERT ROW BY ROW
.on("data", row => {
  row = Object.values(row);
  console.log(row);
  db.run(`INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (?, ?)`, row);
})
 
// (B3) END
.on("end", () => {
  console.log("Done!");
  db.close();
});

As in the introduction, importing a CSV file is a 2-step process:

• (B1) Open the database and CSV file.
• (B2) Read the CSV file row-by-row, and do the “usual” SQL insert.

 

 

 

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EXAMPLE CODE DOWNLOAD

Click here for the source code on GitHub gist, just click on “download zip” or do a git clone. I have released it under the MIT license, so feel free to build on top of it or use it in your own project.

 

 

HOW ABOUT MYSQL, MSSQL, MONGODB, POSTGRESQL?

It’s the same process as above.

• Create your own database tables.
• Create your own CSV file format.
• Connect to the database, and open the CSV file.
• Read the CSV file row-by-row, and insert it into the database.

Yep, the connection process is different for each database – It is impossible to cover everything in this short tutorial, you will need to do some of your own homework.

 

LINKS & REFERENCES

• NodeJS Read CSV Files – Code Boxx

 

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