---
type: Tutorial
title: Getting started with Export
description: This document explains how you can get started with ScalarDB Data Loader Export function.
resource: https://scalardb.scalar-labs.com/docs/3.15/scalardb-data-loader/getting-started-export/
tags:
- scalardb
- v3.15
- phase:implement
- edition:community
- edition:enterprise-standard
- edition:enterprise-premium
- unmaintained
status: deprecated
product: scalardb
product_title: ScalarDB
version: '3.15'
patch_version: 3.15.9
doc_id: scalardb-data-loader/getting-started-export
lifecycle_phase: implement
editions:
- Community
- Enterprise Standard
- Enterprise Premium
generated:
  by: process:okf-build/1.0.0
  at: '2026-08-04T23:50:56Z'
sources:
- id: docs-scalardb
  resource: https://github.com/scalar-labs/docs-scalardb/blob/6126dfe2f56389351d88b134752618641f9771dd/versioned_docs/version-3.15/scalardb-data-loader/getting-started-export.mdx
  title: ScalarDB documentation source (MDX)
  author: process:scalar-labs/docs-scalardb
  last_modified: '2026-08-04T15:05:02Z'
---

# Getting started with Export

This document explains how you can get started with ScalarDB Data Loader Export function.

## Features

ScalarDB Data Loader allows you to export data in the following formats:

- JSON
- JSON Lines
- CSV

Each export will run a ScalarDB scan operation based on the provided CLI arguments when running Data Loader.

## Usage

Data Loader export function can be started with the following minimal configuration:

```console
./scalardb-data-loader export --config scalardb.properties --namespace namespace --table tableName
```

- --config:   the path to the ScalarDB connection properties file
- --namespace:  the namespace of the table that contains the data
- --table: name of the table that contains the data

By default, Data Loader will create the output file in the working directory if the `--output-file` argument is omitted as well.

### Command-line flags

Here is a list of flags (options) that can be used with ScalarDB Data Loader.

| Flag              | Description                                                  | Usage                                                  |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| --config          | The path to the scalardb.properties file. If omitted the tool looks for a file named `scalardb.properties` in the current folder | `scalardb-data-loader --config scalardb.properties`    |
| --namespace       | Namespace to export table data from. Required.               | `scalardb-data-loader --namespace namespace`           |
| --table           | Name of table to export data from. Required.                 | `scalardb-data-loader --table tableName`               |
| --key             | Export data of specific Partition key. By default, it exports all data from the specified table. | `scalardb-data-loader --key columnName=value`          |
| --sort            | Specify a column to sort on. The column needs to be a clustering key. The argument can be repeated to provide multiple sortings. This flag is only applicable to `--key`. | `scalardb-data-loader --sort columnName=desc`          |
| --projection      | Limit the columns that are exported by providing a projection. The argument can be repeated to provide multiple projections. | `scalardb-data-loader --projection columnName`         |
| --start           | Clustering key to mark scan start. This flag is only applicable to `--key`.   | `scalardb-data-loader --start columnName=value`        |
| --start-exclusive | Is the scan start exclusive or not. If omitted, the default value is `false`. This flag is only applicable to `--key` | `scalardb-data-loader --start-exclusive`               |
| --end             | Clustering key to mark scan end. This flag is only applicable to `--key`. | `scalardb-data-loader --end columnName=value`          |
| --end-exclusive   | Is the scan start exclusive or not. If omitted, the default value is `false`. This flag is only applicable to `--key`    | `scalardb-data-loader --end-exclusive`                 |
| --limit           | Limit the results of the scan. If omitted, the default value is `0` which means there is no limit. | `scalardb-data-loader --limit 1000`                    |
| --output-file     | The name and path of the output file. If omitted, the tool will save the file in the current folder with the following name format:
`export_namespace.tableName_timestamp.json` or `export_namespace.tableName_timestamp.csv`

The ouput folder needs to exists. The dataloader does not create the output folder for you. | `scalardb-data-loader --output-file ./out/output.json` |
| --format          | The output format. By default `json` is selected.           | `scalardb-data-loader --format json`                   |
| --metadata        | When set to true the transaction metadata is included in the export. By default this is set to `false` | `scalardb-data-loader --metadata`                      |
| --delimiter       | The delimiter used in CSV files. Default value is `;`        | `scalardb-data-loader --delimiter ;`                   |
| --no-headers      | Exclude header row in CSV file. Default is `false`           | `scalardb-data-loader --no-headers`                    |
| --threads         | Thread count for concurrent processing. The default value is the number of available processors.                       | `scalardb-data-loader --threads 500`                   |
