# Converter
The **Converter** component transforms data from one file format to another — for example, JSON to CSV, JSON to XML, or JSON to Parquet. Use it when you need to prepare data for exports, analytics pipelines, or downstream APIs that expect a specific format. Unlike the [Data Mapper](/flow-setup-essentials/designing-a-flow/data-mapper.md), which restructures fields within the same format, the Converter changes the serialization format of the entire dataset.
**Example definition**
```
StepName = convertInput
ConversionType = JSON_PARQUET
Source = {{input}}
Settings = Default
```
This means:
* The step is named `convertInput`.
* Input data (`{{input}}`) will be taken from the previous step.
* Conversion type is set to `JSON_PARQUET`.
---
# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.fastn.ai/flow-setup-essentials/designing-a-flow/converter.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
