File node
The File node lets you securely bring data into your flows from local files — like spreadsheets, exports, or logs — without sending anything to the cloud. Files stay local and private, giving you full control over sensitive data.
What can it do?
- Load files like
.csv,.json,.xlsx,.txt, and more - Automatically parse and structure the contents for analysis
- Keep data completely local — no uploads, no external storage
- Great for handling confidential data or working offline
How it works
- Choose the File node in your flow
- Select a file from your computer
- Datastripes processes the file locally and extracts the dataset
- Connect the output to other nodes like transforms or visualizations
All file contents are stored in a dedicated local database and are never uploaded or shared, even when using AI features.
Supported formats
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV | Standard comma-separated files |
| JSON | Raw or structured JSON files |
| XLSX | Excel spreadsheets (single sheet) |
| TXT | Text files with tabular content |
If your file has headers, column detection is automatic. For others, you can configure parsing manually.
Example
Say you export user logs from an internal system as a CSV:
timestamp,user_id,action
2024-11-01T12:00:00Z,42,login
2024-11-01T12:05:00Z,42,view_page
Add a File node, upload the CSV, and it's instantly ready to be filtered, grouped, or visualized in your flow.
Why use the File node?
- 🔒 Privacy-first: Everything stays local — perfect for healthcare, finance, or internal data
- 🛠️ Quick setup: Just drag in a file — no connectors or credentials
- 🌐 Offline friendly: Works without an internet connection
- 🧪 Great for testing: Try out flows on exported datasets or mock data
Tips
- Use clear file names to stay organized
- For Excel files, make sure the data is on the first sheet
- Clean up old or unused files via the app’s file manager
Troubleshooting
- Data looks strange? Double-check encoding (UTF-8 recommended)
- File not detected? Make sure it’s in a supported format
- Headers missing? Add a row with column names, or set columns manually
Your files, your flow — the File node keeps everything close and secure.