Data FormatsverifiedReviewed 2026-08-08

YAML

YAML Ain't Markup Language · application/yaml · .yaml .yml

Overview

YAML uses indentation and minimal punctuation to describe nested data, which makes configuration files easier to read and review. It is common in Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and developer tooling, though edge cases can surprise parsers.

Typical use cases

  • Configuration files
  • CI/CD definitions
  • Human-readable data
  • Infrastructure as code

Advantages

  • Designed for configuration files
  • None storage
  • Open specification
  • Browser support: No native browser parser

Disadvantages

  • Parsing edge cases
  • No native browser support
  • Indentation-sensitive

How to open or use it

Open YAML files with an application that supports application/yaml. Editable in any text editor. For delivery, use a viewer or converter that reads yaml, yml.