As a data format, yaml is extremely complicated and it has many footguns. In this post I explain some of those pitfalls by means of an example, and I suggest a few simpler and safer yaml alternatives.
A 10 minute read covering some YAML edge-cases that you should have in mind when writing complex YAML files
If you write your own tooling then it’s great. The vast majority of us are using other people’s tooling and have to deal with their imposed complexity. I for one hate GitHub actions with a passion.
None of the complexity of GitHub actions would be solved with any other configuration language. It needs to be a full scripting language at minimum. The problems with GHA have nothing to do with yaml.
If you write your own tooling then it’s great. The vast majority of us are using other people’s tooling and have to deal with their imposed complexity. I for one hate GitHub actions with a passion.
None of the complexity of GitHub actions would be solved with any other configuration language. It needs to be a full scripting language at minimum. The problems with GHA have nothing to do with yaml.
I’m convinced everybody who told me that “GitHub actions are great!” were just part of one big prank.
I have the same feeling about kubernetes.
Kubernetes seems closer to the top of the tower of Babel than to the basement. Part of it anyway.