JSON vs YAML
JSON and YAML can represent the same structured data but target different workflows. JSON is strict, compact, and universal for APIs. YAML prioritizes human authoring with comments and indentation. Choose JSON for machine interchange; YAML for human-edited configuration.
When to use JSON
REST/GraphQL APIs, browser `JSON.parse`, log streams, and databases. Strict syntax catches errors early.
When to use YAML
Kubernetes manifests, GitHub Actions, Docker Compose, and application config where comments and readability matter.
Converting between formats
Teams often author YAML but need JSON for API tests. Automated converters save time — always review output for type coercion (numbers vs strings) before committing to production pipelines.
Performance and tooling
JSON parsers are faster and universally available in browsers. YAML parsers add dependency weight. For hot API paths, prefer JSON end-to-end even if configs stay in YAML.