An Introduction to YAML: The Simple and Flexible Data Serialization Language
Table of contents
Introduction
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization language. It is commonly used for configuration files but could be used in any situation where data is being stored or transmitted.
YAML is designed to be easy to read and write, and it is easy to learn. It is a text-based format, similar to JSON and XML, but with a more relaxed syntax that makes it easier to work with.
In YAML, data is organized into a hierarchy of nested elements called "collections." These collections can be either lists or dictionaries, and they can contain other collections or simple data types such as strings, numbers, and Booleans.
YAML uses indentation to indicate the structure of the data, and it uses a simple syntax for expressing lists, dictionaries, and other data types.
Extentions : .yaml or .yml
Syntax
Here is an example of a simple YAML file:
--- # This is the start of the document
name: Varchasv Hoon
age: 20
languages:
- English
- Hindi
- Punjabi
--- # Data can also be nested like
School:
Students:
- Name
- RollNo
- Class
Teachers:
- Name
- Age
- Salary
... # This is the end of the document
In this example, the name and age fields are simple data values, while the languages field is a list of strings.
YAML is widely used in the configuration of software applications, and it is also used in data storage and data interchange. It is a popular choice for configuration files because it is easy to read and write, and it is flexible enough to handle a wide range of data types and structures.
Advantages
There are several advantages to using YAML:
Human-readable: YAML is designed to be easy to read and write, which makes it a good choice for configuration files and other types of data that need to be edited by humans.
Flexible: YAML can handle a wide range of data types and structures, including lists, dictionaries, and nested elements. This makes it a good choice for storing complex data.
Easy to learn: YAML has a simple syntax that is easy to learn, even for people who are new to data serialization.
Lightweight: YAML files are generally smaller and simpler than XML or JSON files, which makes them easier to transmit and process.
Widely supported: YAML is supported by a wide range of programming languages and tools, which makes it easy to use in a variety of contexts.
Easy to integrate: YAML can be easily integrated into other systems, making it a good choice for storing data that needs to be accessed by multiple applications.
Versatile: YAML can be used for a wide range of purposes, including configuration files, data storage, and data interchange.
Overall, YAML is a popular choice for data serialization because it is easy to read and write, flexible, and widely supported.
Resources for In-Depth learning
Outro
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