-
FIND ALL YOUR CYBER SECURITY ANSWERS ON OUR WIKI PAGE
The Cert2Connect wiki for a clear overview of terminology and the many abbreviations in the cyber, cloud and software security landscape.
YAML
YAML
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization format commonly used for configuration files, data exchange, and other structured text-based tasks. It is often used in software development for defining settings, configurations, and data structures in a clear and concise manner.
Key features and characteristics of YAML include:
- Human-Readable: YAML is designed to be easily read and written by humans. It uses indentation and simple syntax, making it more accessible and less verbose than some other data serialization formats.
- Structure: YAML represents data using a combination of lists (arrays), dictionaries (key-value mappings), and scalars (simple values like strings, numbers, and booleans).
- Indentation: YAML uses indentation to indicate nesting and hierarchy, similar to how code blocks are structured in programming languages.
- Whitespace-Sensitive: Spaces and tabs are used for indentation, and proper whitespace is important to maintain the structure of YAML documents.
- Comments: YAML supports comments to provide explanations and annotations within the configuration files.
- Scalar Types: YAML supports various scalar data types, including strings, numbers, booleans, timestamps, and null values.
- Multi-Line Strings: YAML allows multi-line strings and preserves line breaks, which is useful for defining text blocks or configuration settings.
- Inclusion and Anchors: YAML supports the use of anchors and aliases to reuse data structures within the same document.
- Compatibility: YAML is often used with other programming languages and technologies. It is commonly used for configuration files, especially in DevOps and infrastructure as code scenarios.
Examples of where YAML is commonly used include:
- Configuration Files: Many software applications and frameworks use YAML for defining configuration settings. This includes settings for web applications, databases, and server configurations.
- Docker Compose: YAML is used in Docker Compose files to define and manage multi-container Docker applications.
- Continuous Integration (CI) Pipelines: CI tools like GitLab CI, Travis CI, and GitHub Actions often use YAML to define CI/CD pipelines and workflows.
- Kubernetes: YAML is the standard format for defining Kubernetes resources such as deployments, services, and pods.
- Infrastructure as Code: Tools like Ansible, Terraform, and AWS CloudFormation use YAML for defining infrastructure configurations.
YAML's simplicity, readability, and versatility make it a popular choice for various configuration and data representation needs in software development and system administration.
Updated on 11 Aug, 2023
