Kapsaml

Kapsaml is a hypothetical data serialization format used to illustrate concepts in modern data interchange. It is designed to compactly store complex, nested data structures while enabling fast decoding and streaming access. The format emphasizes schema-based encoding to support evolution — adding or removing fields without breaking existing data — and aims to minimize CPU and memory overhead during serialization and deserialization.

Kapsaml data is organized in a binary stream that starts with a header containing a magic number and version, followed by an optional schema block and a sequence of data blocks. The schema describes the shape of records, including field types and optionality, allowing readers to validate and navigate data without relying on textual schemas. Features include optional compression, zero-copy access, and cross-language bindings for common platforms. Design choices prioritize backward compatibility, forward compatibility, and deterministic encoding to facilitate data interchange in pipelines.

Practically, kapsaml is described as suitable for log aggregation, machine learning datasets, and configuration stores where nested records and evolution over time are common. It competes with established formats such as JSON, Protocol Buffers, and Apache Avro, offering a balance of compactness and schema-driven processing. In hypothetical usage, kapsaml files could be produced by data producers in one language and consumed by analytics pipelines in another, with tooling to validate schemas and migrate data across versions.