Skip to main content

YAML Introduction

YAML - YAML Ain't Markup Language

YAML is a human-readable data serialization language. It is commonly used for configuration files and in applications where data is being stored or transmitted.

Eg:

name: Pradumna
age: 21
address:
city: Bangalore
state: Karnataka
country: India
phone:
office: 0000000
home:
- 1111111
- 2222222

Properties

  • Similar to XML & JSON.
  • We can't add commands.
  • Strict syntax - (Indentation)
  • Human readable data serialization language.

Syntax

Key Value pair

Name: "Pradumna Saraf"
1: "This a list"

List

- apple
- mango
- Banana
- banana

or

cities: [new delhi, patna,gujrat]

String and Variables

name: Pradumna Saraf
fruit: "Mango"
job: 'Advocate'
age: 65
marks: 10.33
booleanValue: No, N, false, False, FALSE

Multiline String

Address: |
01
Delhi
India

Single line in multiple line.

message: >
This all
will be in a single
line

Nested Mapping

names: Pradumna
role:
age: 22
job: student

Nested Sequence

-
- mango
- apple
- banana
-
- marks
- roll

Specify the data type


# Integer
Zero: !!int 0
positiveNumber: !!int 45
negativeNumber: !!int -45
hexa: !!int 0x45

# Float
mark: !!float 56.55
infinity: !!float .inf
not a num: .nan
itNot: !!bool false

# String
string: !!str "hello"

# Null
surname: !!null #null or NULL ~
~: this a null key

# Exponential Numbers
myNum: 6.22ES56

# Dates and time
date: !!timestamp 2002-01-02
no Time zone: 2012-12-15T02:59:43
India Time: 2012-12-15T02:59:43 +5:30

Usage

  • Used in Kubernetes, Ansible, Docker, etc.
  • Used to store data in key-value pairs.
  • CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, CircleCI, use YAML to create workflows.

What's next?

  • Learning Resources - Learn more about YAML with these resources.
  • Tools - Learn about the tools that you can use with YAML.