Files

Files

Files

Everything you create in Quadratic can be exported at any time to an open, JSON file format. Additionally, you can share copies of exported files with others using your favorite file host.

How it works

  • Quadratic is a client-side web application, which means all data is created and stored in-memory of the browser you’re using.
    • This means, for example, if you’re working on a Quadratic sheet in Google Chrome, and you open Quadratic in a separate browser like Firefox, you won’t see that same sheet. You would have to export your sheet in Chrome to a .grid file on your computer, then switch to Firefox and import it in order to see it.
  • Quadratic saves your sheet’s data as you work, but that data is stored in browser memory and can be lost if you clear your browser cache.
    • This means you should download a local copy of any important sheets whose data you don’t want to lose. This will save the sheet as a .grid file to your local computer.
  • Quadratic saves sheet data as a .grid file, which can be easily imported back into the app at any time.
    • .grid files are plain-text JSON files, which means they can be easily stored and shared with other people.

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Note: in the future, Quadratic will include cloud-based file storage and collaborative editing.

Downloading files

Go to the file menu, “File” → “Open”, to see a list of files stored in your browser’s memory. From there you can download a local copy of any file.

Importing files

You can import a Quadratic .grid file into the app two ways:

  1. Use the import functionality in the app (found by opening a new file, e.g. “File” → “Open…”)
  2. Use the file parameter in the URL
    1. Example: app.quadratichq.com/?file=https://example.com/path/to/my-file.grid

Note: remote files are fetched by your local browser, which means the server that hosts the file must have CORS properly enabled.

Example: share a copy of your local file

  1. Download a local copy of a sheet in Quadratic as a .grid file.
  2. Upload that file to a host somewhere (one that supports CORS requests).
  3. Get the URL of the file you uploaded
    1. Example: https://example.com/path/to/my-file.grid
  4. Create a link to that file using file parameter
    1. Example: https://app.quadratichq.com/?file=https://example.com/path/to/my-file.grid
  5. Share that link with anyone! (The file will be copied into that person’s browser instance of Quadratic.)