YAML Naming Conventions

YAML naming conventions are crucial for creating readable and maintainable configuration files. By following these guidelines, you'll ensure your YAML documents are consistent and easy to understand.

Key Naming Conventions

When naming keys in YAML, consider the following best practices:

• Use lowercase letters for key names
• Separate words with hyphens (kebab-case) or underscores (snake_case)
• Avoid using spaces in key names
• Keep names concise but descriptive

Here's an example demonstrating these conventions:

user-settings:
  display_name: John Doe
  email-address: john.doe@example.com
  preferred_language: en-US
    

Value Formatting

For values in YAML, follow these guidelines:

• Use appropriate data types (strings, numbers, booleans)
• Enclose strings with special characters in quotes
• Use consistent formatting for similar types of data

Example of proper value formatting:

server:
  port: 8080
  debug-mode: true
  api-key: "abc123!@#"
  allowed-origins:
    - "https://example.com"
    - "https://api.example.com"
    

Structure and Indentation

Proper structure and indentation are vital for YAML readability. Remember to:

• Use consistent indentation (typically 2 or 4 spaces)
• Avoid mixing tabs and spaces
• Group related items together
• Use comments to explain complex structures

For more information on YAML indentation, check out our guide on YAML Indentation.

Best Practices

To ensure your YAML files are easy to maintain and understand:

• Use descriptive names for YAML Anchors and YAML Aliases
• Organize complex data structures logically
• Utilize YAML Comments to explain non-obvious configurations
• Consider using YAML Multiple Documents for related but separate configurations

Conclusion

By adhering to these YAML naming conventions, you'll create more readable and maintainable configuration files. Remember to stay consistent within your project or organization, and always prioritize clarity and simplicity in your YAML structures.

For more advanced YAML topics, explore our guides on YAML Complex Structures and YAML Formatting Guidelines.