CSV and Textile represent fundamentally different data structures. CSV is a simple, comma-delimited format for storing tabular data in plain text, while Textile is a lightweight markup language designed for text formatting and rich document creation. The conversion process involves parsing CSV's structured rows and columns and translating them into Textile's markup-based text representation, which supports more complex text styling and formatting options.

Users convert CSV to Textile to transform raw, tabular data into more readable, formatted documents. This conversion is particularly useful when presenting data in reports, documentation, or web content where visual presentation and text styling are important. Textile allows for enhanced readability through headers, lists, emphasis, and other text formatting options that are not possible in standard CSV files.

Common conversion scenarios include transforming spreadsheet data into formatted reports, converting research data into documentation, preparing data for content management systems, and creating readable text documents from raw numerical or textual data. For instance, a researcher might convert a CSV of experimental results into a Textile-formatted research paper draft.

The conversion from CSV to Textile typically maintains data integrity while adding formatting capabilities. However, complex CSV structures with nested data might lose some nuanced formatting during conversion. The process preserves the original content but introduces text styling and markup that can enhance the document's readability and visual presentation.

Textile files are generally slightly larger than CSV files due to the added markup formatting. Expect an increase of approximately 10-30% in file size, depending on the complexity of the formatting and the original data structure. The additional markup provides enhanced readability and styling at the cost of a modest file size increase.

Conversion limitations include potential loss of complex CSV data structures, challenges in automatically mapping tabular data to appropriate Textile formatting, and potential manual intervention required for precise formatting. Some advanced CSV features like multiple sheets or complex cell formatting may not translate directly into Textile.

Avoid converting CSV to Textile when maintaining exact numerical precision is critical, when working with extremely large datasets that might become unwieldy with markup, or when the primary goal is data analysis rather than document presentation. In such cases, keeping the original CSV format is recommended.

Alternative approaches include using Markdown for simpler formatting, maintaining the original CSV for data analysis, or using specialized documentation tools that can directly import CSV data. For complex formatting needs, consider using dedicated document preparation software that supports direct CSV imports.