Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet format that allows users to organize, analyze, and visualize data in tables. It's widely used in business, finance, and data analysis.
Technical Details
Excel files (.xlsx) are actually ZIP archives containing XML files. They support multiple worksheets, formulas, charts, and macros. The newer XLSX format is based on Office Open XML standards.
Advantages
- Rich formatting and visualization capabilities
- Built-in functions and formulas for data analysis
- Support for charts, PivotTables, and data visualization
- Widely used in business and finance
Limitations
- Proprietary format requiring specific software
- Performance issues with very large datasets
- Version compatibility challenges
- Not ideal for structured database applications