What is Pandas DataFrame?

Python that builds a pandas DataFrame from a dictionary of columns.

Who uses it

Data analysis and notebooks.

Writing Pandas DataFrame

The import line is included so the snippet runs as is. Turn type inference on and numeric columns arrive as numbers rather than strings, which is usually what you want in a DataFrame.

What it can hold

pandas is source code. A DataFrame gives each column one dtype, so a column of mixed values falls back to object. A machine can read the table back out of it without guessing, which is what makes it safe to convert into and out of.

It keeps

Types. A number stays a number and a boolean stays a boolean, so whatever reads the file next does not have to guess from how a value looks.
The difference between empty and missing, which most table formats cannot express at all.
A line break inside a cell, which survives rather than ending the row.
A header that is marked as one, rather than being the first row by convention.

It cannot express

Any formatting. Bold, colour, column widths and merged cells have nowhere to go.
A partial read. The document has to be complete to mean anything, so a truncated file yields nothing and a large one has to be held in memory whole.

What it looks like

Example Pandas DataFrame

import pandas as pd

staff = pd.DataFrame({
    "id": ["007", "012", "104"],
    "name": ["Halima Yusuf", "Jonah \"Jo\" Pryce", "Wei Chen"],
    "role": ["Analyst, data", "Engineer", "Manager"],
    "started": ["2024-03-15", "2025-11-02", "2023-06-30"],
    "hours": ["38.5", "", "40"],
})

Questions

How do I open Pandas DataFrame files?

Pandas DataFrame is written by Tablizer rather than read by it. Open the file in whichever tool the format belongs to.

Is Pandas DataFrame a good format for sharing data?

It depends who is receiving it. Data analysis and notebooks. If the recipient is outside that group, a plain CSV travels further than anything else.