YAML - Basics

Now that you have an idea about YAML and its features, let us learn its basics with syntax and other operations. Remember that YAML includes a human readable structured format.
When you are creating a file in YAML, you should remember the following basic rules −
YAML is case sensitive
YAML is case sensitive
The files should have .yaml as the extension
The files should have .yaml as the extension
YAML does not allow the use of tabs while creating YAML files; spaces are allowed instead
YAML does not allow the use of tabs while creating YAML files; spaces are allowed instead
The basic components of YAML are described below −
This block format uses hyphen+space to begin a new item in a specified list. Observe the example shown below −
--- # Favorite movies
 - Casablanca
 - North by Northwest
 - The Man Who Wasn't There

Inline Format
Inline format is delimited with comma and space and the items are enclosed in JSON. Observe the example shown below −
--- # Shopping list
   [milk, groceries, eggs, juice, fruits]

Folded Text
Folded text converts newlines to spaces and removes the leading whitespace. Observe the example shown below −
- {name: John Smith, age: 33}
- name: Mary Smith
  age: 27

The structure which follows all the basic conventions of YAML is shown below −
men: [John Smith, Bill Jones]
women:
  - Mary Smith
  - Susan Williams

The synopsis of YAML basic elements is given here: Comments in YAML begins with the (#) character.
The synopsis of YAML basic elements is given here: Comments in YAML begins with the (#) character.
Comments must be separated from other tokens by whitespaces.
Comments must be separated from other tokens by whitespaces.
Indentation of whitespace is used to denote structure.
Indentation of whitespace is used to denote structure.
Tabs are not included as indentation for YAML files.
Tabs are not included as indentation for YAML files.
List members are denoted by a leading hyphen (-).
List members are denoted by a leading hyphen (-).
List members are enclosed in square brackets and separated by commas.
List members are enclosed in square brackets and separated by commas.
Associative arrays are represented using colon ( : ) in the format of key value pair. They are enclosed in curly braces {}.
Associative arrays are represented using colon ( : ) in the format of key value pair. They are enclosed in curly braces {}.
Multiple documents with single streams are separated with 3 hyphens (---).
Multiple documents with single streams are separated with 3 hyphens (---).
Repeated nodes in each file are initially denoted by an ampersand (&) and by an asterisk (*) mark later.
Repeated nodes in each file are initially denoted by an ampersand (&) and by an asterisk (*) mark later.
YAML always requires colons and commas used as list separators followed by space with scalar values.
YAML always requires colons and commas used as list separators followed by space with scalar values.
Nodes should be labelled with an exclamation mark (!) or double exclamation mark (!!), followed by string which can be expanded into an URI or URL.
Nodes should be labelled with an exclamation mark (!) or double exclamation mark (!!), followed by string which can be expanded into an URI or URL.

    33 Lectures 
     44 mins

 Tarun Telang
 Print
 Add Notes
 Bookmark this page