# Data Formats

By default, Sheet Best returns rows as a list of records. Pass the optional `_format` query parameter on any GET to reshape the response. Pass `_raw=1` to return native types (numbers, booleans) instead of strings.

For [Google Drive folder connections](https://docs.sheetbest.com/docs/generate-api/create-connection.md#from-a-google-drive-folder), these formats reshape file metadata (`id`, `name`, and `link`). Choosing `_format=index` does not read the contents of the spreadsheets in the folder. Index keys are not stable file identifiers; use each record's `id` to identify the file.

## The `_format` parameter[​](#the-_format-parameter "Direct link to the-_format-parameter")

| Format    | Mapping                                             |
| --------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `records` | `[{column: value}, ..., {column: value}]` (default) |
| `dict`    | `{column: {index: value}}`                          |
| `list`    | `{column: [values]}`                                |
| `series`  | `{column: Series(values)}`                          |
| `split`   | `{index: [...], columns: [...], data: [...]}`       |
| `index`   | `{index: {column: value}}`                          |

## Example[​](#example "Direct link to Example")

```
curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=records'

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=dict'

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=list'

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=series'

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=split'

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_format=index'
```

### Records (default)[​](#records-default "Direct link to Records (default)")

![Records format](/assets/images/format-records-example-8e54d75ae605aa360f65d535f9626f5e.png)

### Dict[​](#dict "Direct link to Dict")

![Dict format](/assets/images/format-dict-example-9ba1b9f9bf5785af8523e27008bff5a5.png)

### List[​](#list "Direct link to List")

![List format](/assets/images/format-list-example-7acf9f06d595731f6c111111a50f23fe.png)

### Series[​](#series "Direct link to Series")

![Series format](/assets/images/format-series-example-9d5c43679138a4f592b580c309a72099.png)

### Split[​](#split "Direct link to Split")

![Split format](/assets/images/format-split-example-d921c2736d734077a30bd446cb96018a.png)

### Index[​](#index "Direct link to Index")

![Index format](/assets/images/format-index-example-04a172d7d1bca9787de28ec63584fa4c.png)

## Returning native types with `_raw`[​](#returning-native-types-with-_raw "Direct link to returning-native-types-with-_raw")

Cell values are returned as strings by default. Append `_raw=1` to get numbers, booleans, and other native JSON types instead.

```
# Default: values are strings

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>'



# Native types

curl 'https://api.sheetbest.com/sheets/<id>?_raw=1'
```

| Mode             | Example value |
| ---------------- | ------------- |
| Default (string) | `"42"`        |
| `_raw=1`         | `42`          |

![Default JSON output](/assets/images/parsed-json-format-c121dc62b339af477279c50414b913f9.png)

![Raw JSON output](/assets/images/raw-json-format-407f2bb207746f4cf358f2ec7d2da67b.png)

`_raw` can be combined with any `_format` value.