YAML
The Norway Problem and YAML Boolean Surprises Explained
Why the country code NO becomes False in YAML 1.1, how keys collide, which parsers are affected and three fixes: quote, use a 1.2 parser or a schema.
5 min read
Tag
beginner
54 posts
CSV
How CSV Quoting Works and Why Embedded Commas Break Things
See how a stray comma turns one column into two, what the four quoting states are, and why a backslash does not escape a quote in CSV the way it does in code.
8 min read
CSV
Comma Semicolon Tab or Pipe and How to Pick a Delimiter
Comma, semicolon, tab or pipe? Measure how often each appears in real text, see what a decimal comma does to a file, and choose a delimiter with a reason.
9 min read
CSV
What RFC 4180 Says and Does Not Say About CSV Files
RFC 4180 is a four page memo, not a standard. Read its seven rules, the grammar quirks that surprise people, and how real files and readers drift from it.
10 min read
YAMLGuide
YAML Syntax You Need to Stop Guessing At and Start Knowing
A complete guide to everyday YAML syntax: indentation, scalars, quoting, collections, block strings, anchors, null and versions, tested with real parsers.
19 min read
Editor's pick
CSVGuide
Everything a CSV File Does and Does Not Promise You
A CSV file promises rows and delimiters and little else. See what six readers did with one awkward file, and how to read CSV without guessing.
24 min read