YAMLcompatible

YAMLcompatible denotes the property of an object, library, file, or system that can read and write YAML in a manner consistent with the YAML specification. It is used to indicate interoperability with YAML-based tooling and configurations.

The concept rests on adherence to YAML syntax rules such as indentation for structure, scalars, sequences, mappings, and anchors/aliases, and, in practice, compatibility is typically with YAML 1.2. While many implementations claim YAML compatibility, some offer only subset features or forks that omit certain tags or merge keys.

Assessment criteria: correct parsing of core data types, stable emission of valid YAML, preservation of data round-trips, reasonable error handling, and robust support for common features like anchors, aliases, and explicit tags. Validators, test suites, and round-trip tests are used to certify YAMLcompatibility.

Use cases: configuration files, deployment manifests, data interchange between services, and read/write utilities in automation pipelines. When a project is YAMLcompatible, users can expect consistent behavior across languages and tools that implement YAML.

Limitations: YAML's surface area includes features that some parsers treat variably; differences in line endings, quoting rules, or tag resolution can cause non-portable results. True YAML compatibility may require explicit versioning and feature gating.

See also: YAML, YAML Ain't Markup Language, YAML 1.2, data serialization formats, configuration management.