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Data conversion

Data conversion definition

Data conversion refers to the process of transforming data from one format, structure, or system to another. This can be as simple as manually converting a file to a different format, automating data conversion between one database to another, integrating data from different sources, and converting data to support specific analysis or reporting requirements.

See also: data exfiltration, data mining

How data conversion works

  1. 1.Data extraction. The data is identified and extracted from the source system or application. This can involve exporting data from a database or extracting data from a file.
  2. 2.Data transformation. The extracted data is transformed to the desired format or structure. This involves converting data types, modifying data structures, and mapping data fields between source and target systems.
  3. 3.Data loading. After the data has been transformed, it is loaded into the target system such as a database or an application.

Data conversion examples

  • Converting a file from one format to another, such as converting a Microsoft Word document to a PDF file or converting an image file from JPEG to PNG.
  • Database migration. Moving data from one database system to another, such as migrating data from MySQL to Microsoft SQL Server.
  • Web data extraction. Extracting data from web pages and converting it to a structured format, such as extracting product data from an e-commerce website and converting it to a CSV file.
  • Data normalization. Converting data to a standardized format, such as converting date and time data to a specific format, to ensure consistency across systems.