YAML overview

YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data-serialization format commonly used for configuration files and data exchange between systems that support different languages. YAML supports scalars, sequences (lists), and mappings (dictionaries), with anchors and aliases for reuse within a document. It is the primary configuration language for Kubernetes manifests, GitHub Actions workflows, Docker Compose files, Ansible playbooks, and OpenAPI specifications. Common pitfalls include indentation sensitivity, automatic type coercion (the "Norway problem"), and multiline string quoting. Tools like yamllint, yq, and Helm's template engine are standard in DevOps tooling.