> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.fastn.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.fastn.ai/flow-setup-essentials/designing-a-flow/converter.md).
# 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`.
---
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