The YAML Document from Hell

5 hours ago

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YAML is criticized for being overly complex and deceptive in its human-friendliness.
JSON is highlighted as a simpler and more stable alternative to YAML.
YAML's complexity is demonstrated through examples like sexagesimal numbers, anchors, aliases, tags, and the infamous 'Norway problem'.
Non-string keys and accidental numbers in YAML can lead to unexpected parsing results.
Syntax highlighting in YAML is unreliable due to varying implementations and versions.
Templating YAML is discouraged due to its error-prone nature.
Alternative configuration formats like TOML, JSON with comments, and generating JSON from languages like Nix or Python are recommended.
The conclusion advocates for TOML as a safer configuration format and generating JSON when YAML is unavoidable.

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