.avro files

Common questions

How do I open a .avro file?

On Windows use Apache Avro tools (Java); on macOS use Apache Avro tools (Java); on Linux use Apache Avro tools (Java). A row-based binary data format that carries its own schema in the file.

What is a .avro file?

Apache Avro. Avro is the Apache serialisation format used heavily with Kafka and Hadoop, where every file embeds the schema so readers can evolve independently of writers. Being row-oriented it suits streaming and appends, where Parquet suits analytics.

Can I convert a .avro file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .json, .csv or .parquet, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

Related pages

• .csv — Comma-Separated Values A spreadsheet as plain text, one row per line — the universal data exchange form
• .json — JavaScript Object Notation The standard text format for structured data on the web and in config files.
• .xml — Extensible Markup Language A tag-based text format for structured data, still everywhere in enterprise syst
• .yaml — YAML Data File An indentation-based configuration format, readable but unforgiving about whites
• .log — Log File A plain-text record of what a program did, newest events usually at the bottom.
• .torrent — BitTorrent Metainfo File A few kilobytes of metadata describing what to download and from whom — not the
• .dat — Generic Data File A meaningless extension — .dat says only that some program stored data here.
• .vcf — vCard Contact File One or more contacts as plain text — the standard way to move an address book.
• .sql — SQL Script A text file of database commands — often a full database dump.
• .ics — iCalendar Event A calendar invitation or event feed in a plain-text standard format.
• .sqlite — SQLite Database A complete relational database in a single file — the most deployed database in
• .db — Generic Database File An extension many programs use for their data — it does not identify one format.