---
title: "Quick-glancing CSVs in VS Code with Rainbow CSV and Data Preview"
description: "When plain CSV turns into visual soup, Rainbow CSV and Data Preview give VS Code a lightweight workflow for fast inspection without leaving the editor."
date: 2026-05-12
slug: "quick-glancing-csvs-in-vs-code-with-rainbow-csv-and-data-preview"
tags: ["csv", "vs-code", "developer-tools", "data", "productivity"]
social_post: |
  CSV is fine until it turns into visual soup. I wrote about the lightweight VS Code setup I use to inspect wide CSVs fast: Rainbow CSV for readable raw text, Data Preview when I need a proper grid.
---

import ImageZoom from "@components/ImageZoom.astro";

Most CSV files are fine until they are not.

For small files, plain text is enough. But once a CSV gets wide, the whole thing turns into visual soup. You lose track of columns, horizontal scrolling gets annoying, and simple inspection starts taking more attention than it should.

I do not want to open Excel every time that happens. I also do not want a heavy workflow just to inspect one file quickly.

The setup that works best for me is simple: [`Rainbow CSV`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mechatroner.rainbow-csv) for the raw text view, and [`Data Preview`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=RandomFractalsInc.vscode-data-preview) for the moment raw text stops being pleasant. That combination covers most quick-glance cases without turning CSV inspection into a separate toolchain.

## Rainbow CSV is the fastest upgrade

If you only install one CSV extension, [`Rainbow CSV`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mechatroner.rainbow-csv) is a strong first pick.

Its value is immediate readability. Once each column has a visual identity, long rows become much easier to scan. You spend less time counting commas and less time guessing whether a value slipped into the next field. It also gives you useful extras like separator autodetection, alignment, column tracking, and RBQL queries.

What I like most is that it still feels like an editor workflow. You stay in the file and read the CSV as text, just with much less friction.

<ImageZoom
  src="/images/blog/2026/vscode-csv-glance/rainbow-csv.png"
  alt="Rainbow CSV colorizing columns in a wide CSV file inside VS Code"
/>

For many files, that is enough.

## Data Preview is the right second step

Some files stop being worth reading as text. That is where [`Data Preview`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=RandomFractalsInc.vscode-data-preview) becomes useful.

It gives you a grid-style view inside VS Code, which is usually the right move once a CSV gets wide enough. Instead of mentally mapping comma-separated values to invisible columns, you get a proper table with sorting, filtering, and summary tools built in.

<ImageZoom
  src="/images/blog/2026/vscode-csv-glance/data-preview-grid.png"
  alt="Data Preview showing a CSV file in a grid view inside VS Code"
/>

This is what I open when I need to answer questions like which rows match a value, whether a column looks wrong, or whether the data shape is what I expected. At that point, a table is simply a better fit than raw text.

<ImageZoom
  src="/images/blog/2026/vscode-csv-glance/data-preview-open-file.png"
  alt="Data Preview showing chart and grid views inside VS Code"
/>

## The workflow

The workflow is simple. Open the CSV normally, use `Rainbow CSV` to get a fast first pass, then switch to `Data Preview` if the file is too wide, too dense, or too analysis-heavy. I do not always need a table, but I often need a better first glance than plain CSV gives me.

## Alternatives worth knowing

[`Edit CSV`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=janisdd.vscode-edit-csv) is closer to a spreadsheet editing experience inside VS Code. [`Data Wrangler`](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-toolsai.datawrangler) is stronger if you are doing heavier cleaning and transformation work.

Both are good. I just would not lead with them for quick inspection. For that, `Rainbow CSV` plus `Data Preview` feels lighter and more direct.

## Recommendation

If your problem is "I want to glance at CSV files in VS Code without suffering," install both.

Use `Rainbow CSV` as the default layer that makes text readable. Use `Data Preview` when the file grows past what text should reasonably handle. That gives you a lightweight setup that stays inside VS Code and covers most day-to-day inspection work.
