We're introducing a new way to populate your Appwrite databases: document imports from CSV files.
Built on top of Appwrite's migration APIs, this feature makes it easy to bring in large datasets, seed collections, or migrate structured data using only a CSV file.
The CSV document import is useful for migrating user data from external systems, importing inventory records, seeding test environments, or onboarding structured content such as FAQs.
How it works
To get started, create a collection and define its attributes in the Appwrite Console. Your CSV file should follow a standard format:
The first row must be a header containing attribute names that match your collection
Each subsequent row represents a document, with values separated by commas
Good to know
You can optionally include the $id column to assign custom document IDs.
All required attributes must be present in the CSV, and Appwrite will validate each row before importing it.
For example, if your collection contains attributes like title, author, year, and available, a valid CSV file would look like this:
$id,title,author,year,available
f3k91x8b2q,Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,J.K. Rowling,1997,true
mz7lq3dp5c,The Fellowship of the Ring,J.R.R. Tolkien,1954,true
x0v4p8ncq2,To Kill a Mockingbird,Harper Lee,1960,false
kq9nmv13ru,The Great Gatsby,F. Scott Fitzgerald,1925,true
p8lw39xsd1,Catch-22,Joseph Heller,1961,true
v42cj0quxp,Pride and Prejudice,Jane Austen,1813,true
Uploading your CSV file
You can upload a new file during import or select an existing one from your project's storage bucket. The Console provides a guided interface to help you select the CSV and link it to your target collection. Once uploaded, the import process begins immediately.
Designed for scale
CSV imports are built to scale seamlessly with your data. Whether you're working with a small dataset or importing production-grade records, the system is designed to handle high volumes reliably and efficiently.
The import system performs per-row validation and runs as a background task, allowing it to handle large files efficiently. This ensures reliable performance across a range of scenarios—from lightweight configuration data to large-scale production imports.
Availability and resources
CSV imports are now available on Appwrite Cloud and in the latest self-hosted release.
To learn more, check out the official documentation. If you have any questions or feedback, we'd love to hear from you in the Appwrite Discord community.
