csvlens is a command line CSV file viewer that works like less but for CSV data.
The tool addresses the need to interactively explore CSV files in the terminal without loading them into a spreadsheet application or writing custom scripts. It provides a pager-like interface where users can scroll through rows and columns, search with regex patterns, filter data, adjust column widths, sort by columns, and mark or select specific rows. The viewer supports piping CSV data directly or opening files by name, with configurable delimiters including auto-detection and tab-separated values.
csvlens suits developers and data analysts who work frequently with CSV files in terminal environments and want quick, interactive exploration without leaving the command line. It works well for inspecting data structure, finding specific values, and understanding content before processing files further. The tool's regex-based search and filter capabilities, combined with natural-order sorting and column freezing, make it practical for moderately sized datasets. Users should adopt it if they prefer keyboard-driven navigation and want to avoid graphical spreadsheet applications for exploratory work.
The project shows consistent maintenance with regular updates addressing user-reported issues and feature requests. Development includes incremental improvements to existing functionality rather than major architectural changes. The maintainer actively incorporates community feedback and resolves bugs reported through the issue tracker. The codebase remains focused on core CSV viewing capabilities without scope creep into unrelated features.
