4 ms·

Maybe we shouldn't use JSON as a configuration format. There are numerous better alternatives such as INI files and YAML.

• maxxxxx 10y ago
  I personally use INI files quit a bit but the cool kids insist on JSON.
  • dvirsky 10y ago
    TOML seems like a nice middle ground, it's gaining some popularity in the Go world.
    • merb 10y ago
      or HOCON which is often used in Scala ;)
• vram22 10y ago
  INI files are cool, IMO [1]. Though they may have originated in Windows or DOS, other tech uses them too nowadays (and from long, of course). Some languages must have support for INI files in their standard or 3rd-party libraries. I know Python does, in the ConfigParser module. In fact, I'm currently using it in a project I'm working on for a client. [1] I think they are cool because of their simplicity - it is just a two-level hierarchy - sections and options within sections. And options are key-value pairs. For many applications, this is enough, and any format that supports more may be overkill (though would still work). Edited to add the [1] footnote.