YAML (short for “YAML Ain’t Markup Language”) is a human-readable data serialization language that is used to create configuration files, data exchange formats, and other structured data. It was created in 2001 by Clark Evans, Ingy döt Net, and Oren Ben-Kiki, and its main goal was to create a language that is easy to read and write by humans while also being easy to parse and generate by machines.
YAML is a superset of JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and shares many of its features, including the use of key-value pairs and the support for lists and arrays. However, YAML is more flexible than JSON, as it allows for more complex data structures and has a simpler syntax that is more natural to read and write. It also supports comments and multi-line strings, making it more convenient for writing configuration files and other human-readable data.
YAML is commonly used for a variety of purposes, including:
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Configuration files for software applications: YAML is often used to create configuration files for web applications, servers, and other software tools. The simplicity and readability of YAML make it easier for developers and administrators to understand and modify the configuration settings, which can help to reduce errors and increase productivity.
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Data exchange formats: YAML can be used to exchange data between different software systems and programming languages. Its simplicity and flexibility make it a good choice for creating data exchange formats that are easy to read and write by humans and machines.
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Markup language for documents: YAML can be used to create structured documents such as reports, specifications, and manuals. Its simple syntax and support for comments and multi-line strings make it easier to write and read large documents, especially when compared to other markup languages like XML and HTML.