Convert XLS to Arrow

XLS files are Excel files that use the Binary Interchange File Format (BIFF). This was the default format for Excel versions 97-2003.

XLS files can have multiple sheets, and each sheet can contain multiple rows and columns of data. They support various data types, including text, numbers, dates, and formulas.

Key features of XLS files include:

• Works with older versions of Excel and other spreadsheet software
• Can store formatting information, charts, and macros
• Smaller file size compared to newer formats like XLSX
• Limited to 65,536 rows and 256 columns per sheet

While XLS files are still widely used, they're gradually being replaced by the more modern XLSX format.

Apache Arrow is a cross-language platform for in-memory data. It defines a standard columnar memory format for flat and hierarchical data that works across different programming languages. This format is optimized for efficient analytics on modern hardware like CPUs and GPUs.

Arrow can handle complex nested data structures and lets you query and work with specific columns without reading the entire dataset.

Key Features

• Columnar memory format for flat and hierarchical data
• Works with any programming language
• Optimized for analytics and modern hardware
• Supports complex nested data structures
• Enables efficient zero-copy reads

Use Cases

Apache Arrow shines in scenarios like:

• Big data processing and analytics
• Machine learning and AI pipelines
• Data exchange between different systems and languages
• High-performance computing applications

Its efficient memory layout and standardized format make it a great choice for applications that need fast data processing and compatibility between different tools and languages.