What is a data serialization

YAML YAML Ain't Markup Language

                                         YAML/JSON/XML
                                        /
object ---> serializer --> stream of bytes --- database
                                        \
                                        memory

It is a process of converting of data object which is a combination of code + data into serialize of bytes that saves the state of the object in a form that is easily transmittable

Data serialization the language which is used to represent the data in this text format are the data serialization language eg. YAML, JSON, XML

• object -> file serialization
• file -> object deserialization

Few Basics

Let's learn a few basics

# key value pair
age: 23

# representation of strings
name: dipankar das
fruit: "apple"
job: 'SWE'

# String in multiple lines
bio: |
  'Hey my name is dipankar das.'
  'my age is 21'

# String in single line
message: >
  'this will'
  'all be in'
  'a single line'
---

# explicitly mention type
age: !!int 23

# implicit type
name: Dipankar

# boolean
!!bool

# integer
!!int

# float
!!float

# string
!!str

# null value
!!null NULL

# date time
date: !!timestamp 2010-12-22
india Time: 2001-12-15T29:83:34.10 +5:30
no Timezone: 2001-12-15T29:83:34.10

More Complex datatypes

# like function
we can have 
enum: &gender
  male: no
  female: no

# then we can override it when using
<<: *gender  # paste the def in the particular place
# for overriding
male: yes

# Using
--- # to separate 2 config

... # this marks the end of the YAML file

# array/list type
# arr = [233, 324, 235]
arr:
  - 233
  - 324
  - 235
# or 
arr: [233, 324, 235]

# pairs key may have duplicate values
# !!pairs
pair example: !!pairs
  - job: student
  - job: teacher

Example

# Demo school information as API

SUBS: &Subjects
  Maths: !!bool no
  English: !!bool no
  CSE: !!bool no
  Arts: !!bool no
  DigitalElectronics: !!bool no
  Biology: !!bool no

enum: &status
  intern: no
  job: no
  club: no
  student: no

School:
  name: School private limited
  location: New Delhi
  country: India
  established: !!timestamp 1960-12-25
  about: |
    "This a 50 year old school, Located in central town"
    "We are proud to call our self to be 'THESS'"
    "There are more than 1,000 alumins who got great success in their respective fields"

  Principal:
    name: XYZ
    experience: !!int 15
    qualification: M.S.
    tenure: 5

  student:
    - roll: !!int 20051501
      name: !!str Abcd1
      age: !!int 21
      gender: Male
      branch: !!str CSE
      joiningDate: !!timestamp 2020-1-21
      carrier: !!str >
        DevOps,
        Operating Systems
      <<: *status
      intern: yes
      <<: *Subjects
      Maths: yes
      English: yes
      CSE: yes
      location: !!str Jamshedpur
      country: !!str India
    - roll: !!int 20051502
      name: !!str Abcd2
      age: !!int 22
      joiningDate: !!timestamp 2021-5-21
      gender: Female
      branch: !!str LAW
      carrier: !!str >
        Lawyer
      <<: *status
      club: yes
      <<: *Subjects
      English: yes
      Arts: yes
      Maths: yes
      location: !!str Kolkata
      country: !!str India
    - roll: !!int 20051511
      name: !!str Abc21
      age: !!int 20
      joiningDate: !!timestamp 2020-6-22
      gender: Male
      branch: !!str EEE
      carrier: !!str >
        Electric cars
      <<: *status
      student: yes
      <<: *Subjects
      Maths: yes
      English: yes
      DigitalElectronics: yes
      location: !!str Mumbai
      country: !!str India

    - roll: !!int 3000001
      name: !!str Abc313
      age: !!int 24
      joiningDate: !!timestamp 2021-2-21
      gender: Female
      branch: !!str CSE
      carrier: !!str >
        DevOps,
        Operating Systems
      <<: *status
      job: yes
      <<: *Subjects
      Maths: yes
      English: yes
      CSE: yes
      DigitalElectronics: yes
      Biology: yes
      location: !!str London
      country: !!str England

  Staff:
    - id: 2001
      name: teacher1
      experience: !!int 5
      position:
        - assistant
      qualification: M.Tech.
      subjects:
        - Maths,
        - English
        - Biology

    - id: 2004
      name: teacher2
      experience: !!int 10
      position:
        - professor
      qualification: B.Tech.
      subjects:
        - Computer Science
        - English
        - Physics

    - id: 20024
      name: teacher3
      qualification: B.A.
      position:
        - lecturer
      experience: !!int 15
      subjects:
        - Chemistry
        - Geography

---

# weather api response
response:
  coord:
    lon: -122.08
    lat: 37.39
  weather:
  - id: 800
    main: Clear
    description: clear sky
    icon: 01d
  base: stations
  main:
    temp: 282.55
    feels_like: 281.86
    temp_min: 280.37
    temp_max: 284.26
    pressure: 1023
    humidity: 100
  visibility: 16093
  wind:
    speed: 1.5
    deg: 350
  clouds:
    all: 1
  dt: 1560350645
  sys:
    type: 1
    id: 5122
    message: 0.0139
    country: US
    sunrise: 1560343627
    sunset: 1560396563
  timezone: -25200
  id: 420006353
  name: Mountain View
  cod: 200

---

# Demo configuration for Kubernetes
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: myWeb
  labels:
    name: myWeb
spec:
  replicas: 3
  containers:
    - name: myWeb
      image: nginx:1.19.1
      livenessProbe:
        httpGet:
          path: /healthz
          port: 8080
      readinessProbe:
        tcpSocket:
          port: 8081
      resources:
        limits:
          memory: "128Mi"
          cpu: "500m"
      ports:
        - containerPort: 80
...

I Hope, This will help you get started with the basics

Love to hear your opinions

Learned YAML and Basic Docker from Kunal's Youtube channel

❤ Happy coding