# How FME Works

At the heart of FME is an engine that supports an array of data types, formats, and applications: Excel, CSV, XML, and databases, as well as various types of mapping formats including GIS, CAD, BIM, [and many more](https://www.safe.com/integrate/).

The capability to support so many data types is made possible by a rich data model that handles all possible geometry and attribute types.

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