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Unlocking the Power of YAML: Syntax, Data Types, and Best Practices

Introduction to YAML Syntax, Properties, and Data Types

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Akash Reddy Jammula
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Unlocking the Power of YAML: Syntax, Data Types, and Best Practices

Table of contents

YAML: Yet Another Markup Language

Formerly an acronym for "Yet Another Markup Language," YAML has since evolved to humorously stand for "YAML Ain't Markup Language." It is a data format used for exchanging information and is comparable to XML and JSON, providing simple, human-readable data types.

In YAML, you can exclusively store data, steering clear of incorporating commands.

Data Serialization: This is the process of converting data objects (combinations of code and data, present in complex data structures) into a stream of bytes. The opposite process, deserialization, involves converting a stream of bytes back into objects.

Data Serialization Languages:

YAML, JSON, and XML are examples of data serialization languages. YAML is particularly popular in configuration files for tools like Docker and Kubernetes, as well as in logs and caches.

Benefits of YAML:

  • Human-readable and simple

  • Strict syntax with indentation importance

  • Easily convertible to JSON, XML

  • Widely adopted across programming languages

  • More powerful when representing complex data

  • Various tools available, including parsers

Demonstration:

YAML files typically have a .yaml or .yml extension. YAML is case-sensitive, and multi-line comments are not supported, only single-line comments with #.

Storing Data:

  • Key-value pairs (e.g., "apple": "I am a red fruit" or similar to JSON: {"apple": "I'm an apple", "mango": "I am a mango"}).

  • Lists (e.g., - Apple, - mango, - Apple or similar to JSON: cities: [delhi, hyd]).

  • Differentiating document blocks by three hyphens (---).

  • Ending YAML with three dots (...).

Data Types:

  • Variables (e.g., myself: Akash).

  • Strings (fruit: "apple" or job: 'SWE').

  • Writing a single line in multiple lines (using >).

  • Numbers (number: 5434 for integers, marks: 98.34 for floats).

  • Boolean values (booleanValue: No or booleanValue: y).

  • Specifying types (e.g., zero: !!int 0, positivenum: !!int 45, booleanVal: !!bool y).

  • Floating-point numbers (marks: !!float 56.78, infinite: !!float .inf, not a num: .nan).

  • Null values (surname: !!null Null or surname: !!null NULL ~).

  • Dates and times (date: !!timestamp 2001-12-23, indiaTime: 2002-12-23T02:59:43.10 +5:30).

Advanced-Data Types:

  • Lists (student: !!seq [marks, name, rollno]).

  • Maps (name: Akash, role: age: 22, job: se).

  • Pairs (keys may have duplicate values).

  • Sets (names: !!set [jaime, akash]).

  • Dictionaries (people: !!omap [abhi: name: Abhishek m age: 78 height: 734, rahul: name: Rahul hulawale age: 43 height: 543]).

  • Reusing properties using anchors (likings: &likes fav fruit: mango, dislikes: grapes).

  • Copying values from anchors (person1: name: kunal <<: *likes, person2: name: abhi <<: *likes, person3: name: rahul <<: *likes dislikes: berries).

This comprehensive YAML course covers its syntax, properties, and various data types, providing a solid foundation for utilizing YAML in your projects.

Happy reading :)

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