JSON vs YAML vs XML: Which Format Should You Actually Use?
This question comes up in almost every new project, and the honest answer is "it depends on who's reading it." JSON is the default for APIs -- compact, and every language parses it natively. YAML wins for configuration files that humans edit directly, because it supports comments and reads cleanly without a wall of braces. XML earns its keep in document-centric formats and anything that needs namespaces, schemas, or mixed content (text interleaved with markup) -- think SOAP, WSDL, or DocBook.
A rule of thumb: if a person will hand-edit it regularly, lean YAML. If two programs are talking to each other, lean JSON. If the data has a genuine document structure -- not just key-value pairs -- XML is often the more honest fit, even if it's less fashionable.
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