YAML is a recursive acronym for “YAML Ain’t Markup Language.” It is a human-readable data serialization language commonly used for data storage and configuration files. Its design is similar in structure to other markup languages, such as HTML and XML, but with specific syntax differences that enable computers to parse quickly.
The original design of YAML was to cater to data storage. However, it has become more common for configuration files in modern software applications because it offers certain advantages over other markup languages, such as being easier to read and write by humans and having a simpler and more flexible syntax.
Whether we use it for configuration files or another purpose, YAML is a powerful and versatile language that can help to make your data more readable, organized, and maintainable.
Clark Evans, Ingy döt Net, and Oren Ben-Kiki created the YAML specification in 2001. It takes inspiration from existing markup languages like XML and Perl.
The first official version, 1.0, was released in 2004. Since then, the specification has undergone a few revisions, with the most recent version (version 1.2.2) published in 2021.
Various applications and software projects have used YAML over the years. Some notable examples include Ansible, Ruby on Rails, and Drupal.
Below is a basic example of a YAML file:
---name: John Smithage: 25job: Software Developerskills:- Java- Python- JavaScript
As you can see, YAML files are straightforward to read and understand. They are also relatively concise, which makes them ideal to store and organize large amounts of data.
YAML is worth considering if you’re looking for a simple and efficient way to store and manage your data. Many excellent libraries and tools are available for working with YAML, so it’s easy to get started. Some of the most popular libraries for working with YAML include YamlDotNet for .NET, PyYaml for Python, and SnakeYaml for Java.
In this shot, we looked at a basic example of using YAML for data storage. If you're interested in learning more about YAML, check out the course below.
Learn more about the syntax, data types, and various vital concepts related to the language through this mini-course: Introduction to YAML