Xlrd
Xlrd is a Python library for reading data and formatting information from Excel files, specifically supporting the older .xls format (Excel 97-2003). It allows developers to extract cell values, sheet names, and other metadata from spreadsheets programmatically. The library is widely used for data processing, automation, and analysis tasks involving legacy Excel files.
Developers should learn Xlrd when working with legacy Excel .xls files in Python, as it provides a simple and efficient way to parse spreadsheet data without requiring Microsoft Excel. It is particularly useful in data migration projects, automated reporting systems, and data analysis pipelines that handle older Excel formats. However, for modern .xlsx files, alternative libraries like openpyxl or pandas are recommended.