convert-file — Claude Code skill for file conversion
This skill uses DuckDB to convert data files between formats. Use it to create CSV, Parquet, Excel, JSON, GeoJSON, and other outputs.
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a claude-codeWhat convert-file does
The skill reads a data file with DuckDB and writes it in the format indicated by the destination extension. When no destination is given, it uses the input file’s name with a .parquet extension. Supported outputs include TSV, JSONL, NDJSON, GeoPackage, and Shapefile as well as CSV, Parquet, Excel, JSON, and GeoJSON.
For XLSX output, DuckDB needs its excel extension; geospatial formats use spatial. The skill also sets up access for s3://, gs://, gcs://, http://, and https:// inputs. Partitioning works with CSV and Parquet, while zstd compression is available for Parquet. DuckDB must be callable as duckdb, or the conversion command will fail.
After a successful run, it reports the source and destination formats and the output file size. It may also include a row count when that is quick to calculate. If parsing fails, it suggests checking the input or inspecting it with /duckdb-skills:read-file; a missing DuckDB command points to /duckdb-skills:install-duckdb.
What it helps with
- convert CSV data to Parquet
- export a table as Excel or JSON
- write geospatial data as GeoJSON or Shapefile
- partition CSV or Parquet output
- compress a Parquet file with
zstd
Example prompts for the agent
- Convert
sales.csvto Parquet and save it assales.parquet. - Export
places.geojsonasplaces.gpkg. - Partition
events.csvbyyear.
How to install convert-file
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a claude-code2Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/convert-file/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/convert-file/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a codex2Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/convert-file/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a cursor2Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/convert-file/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install duckdb/duckdb-skills convert-file2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/convert-file/SKILL.md1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a gemini-cli2Platform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb-skills --path skills/convert-fileManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/convert-file/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a opencodeClaude.ai
Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways
Questions about convert-file
How do I install convert-file in Claude Code?
Run npx skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill convert-file -a claude-code. The skill file is placed at ~/.claude/skills/convert-file/SKILL.md.
What does convert-file do?
It uses DuckDB to read a data file and write it in the format specified by the output extension. It can also configure partitioning or compression for supported formats.
Which formats need DuckDB extensions?
XLSX conversion requires the excel extension. GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and Shapefile use spatial.
Source text
SKILL.md · MIT
---
name: convert-file
description: >
Convert any data file to another format: CSV, Parquet, JSON, Excel, GeoJSON, and more.
Use when the user says "convert to parquet", "save as xlsx", "export as JSON", "make this a CSV",
"turn into parquet", or any variation of format-to-format conversion for data files.
Also triggers when the user wants to write Parquet, Excel, or other binary formats that Claude cannot produce natively.
argument-hint: <input-file> [output-file]
allowed-tools: Bash
---
You are helping the user convert a data file from one format to another using DuckDB.
Input file: `$0`
Output file: `${1:-}`
## Step 1 — Resolve input and output
**Input**: `$0`. If it's a bare filename (no `/`), resolve to a full path with `find "$PWD" -name "$0" -not -path '*/.git/*' 2>/dev/null | head -1`.
**Output**: If `$1` is provided, use it as the output path. If not, default to the same stem as the input with a `.parquet` extension (e.g., `data.csv` → `data.parquet`).
Infer the output format from the output file extension:
| Extension | Format clause |
|---|---|
| `.parquet`, `.pq` | *(default, no clause needed)* |
| `.csv` | `(FORMAT csv, HEADER)` |
| `.tsv` | `(FORMAT csv, HEADER, DELIMITER '\t')` |
| `.json` | `(FORMAT json, ARRAY true)` |
| `.jsonl`, `.ndjson` | `(FORMAT json, ARRAY false)` |
| `.xlsx` | `(FORMAT xlsx)` — requires `INSTALL excel; LOAD excel;` |
| `.geojson` | `(FORMAT GDAL, DRIVER 'GeoJSON')` — requires `LOAD spatial;` |
| `.gpkg` | `(FORMAT GDAL, DRIVER 'GPKG')` — requires `LOAD spatial;` |
| `.shp` | `(FORMAT GDAL, DRIVER 'ESRI Shapefile')` — requires `LOAD spatial;` |
## Step 2 — Convert
Run a single DuckDB command. Prepend extension loads as needed based on both the input and output formats.
```bash
duckdb -c "
<EXTENSION_LOADS>
COPY (FROM '<INPUT_PATH>') TO '<OUTPUT_PATH>' <FORMAT_CLAUSE>;
"
```
For remote inputs (`s3://`, `https://`, etc.), prepend the same protocol setup as `read-file`:
| Protocol | Prepend |
|---|---|
| `s3://` | `LOAD httpfs; CREATE SECRET (TYPE S3, PROVIDER credential_chain);` |
| `gs://` / `gcs://` | `LOAD httpfs; CREATE SECRET (TYPE GCS, PROVIDER credential_chain);` |
| `https://` / `http://` | `LOAD httpfs;` |
**If the user mentions partitioning** (e.g., "partition by year"), add `PARTITION_BY (col)` to the format clause. This only works with Parquet and CSV output.
**If the user mentions compression** (e.g., "use zstd"), add `CODEC 'zstd'` for Parquet output.
## Step 3 — Report
On success, report:
- Input file and detected format
- Output file, format, and size (`ls -lh`)
- Row count if quick to compute
On failure:
- **`duckdb: command not found`** → delegate to `/duckdb-skills:install-duckdb`
- **Missing extension** → install it and retry
- **Input parse error** → suggest the user check the input format or try `/duckdb-skills:read-file` first to inspect it
© duckdb · MIT · duckdb/duckdb-skills