Which YAML style do you prefer?

#yaml #workflow #discuss

Hey guys,

I'm working on a workflow project that uses YAML files to define workflows.

We are starting to design a new version with the goal of improving the syntax to make it easier for developers to write workflows.

One of the main new feature is to include YAML file using the following syntax: ${ file('workflows/foo.yml') }.

I would like to know which of the following YAML style do you prefer.

Map style

# main.yml
name: my first app
workflows:
  foo-workflow:
    steps:
      - ...
  bar-workflow: ${ file('workflows/bar.yml') }

# workflows/bar.yml
steps:
  - ...

workflows is a map
workflow's name defined only in the main file

Array style

# main.yml
name: my first app
workflows:
  - name: foo workflow
    steps:
      - ...
  - ${ file('workflows/bar.yml')}

# workflows/bar.yml
name: bar workflow
steps:
  - ...

workflows is an array
workflow's name defined is the workflow's file

Top comments (4)

Katie • Sep 17 '20 • Edited

Hmmm -- YAML preserves the ordering of maps, so you could get away with the first, but it seems to me that anything where you're literally calling things "first," "second," "third," etc. implies a list. Especially if you might later end up having to parse it into JSON or into programming languages where dicts aren't ordered.

But that's mostly if you think your numbers will stretch beyond, say, 10.

If you know it's more like "primary" and "backup," you could probably get away with either. What do your teammates like?

Also, you might want to add a "discuss" tag to this.

Nicolas Mahe • Sep 17 '20

Thanks for your comment!

Hmmm -- YAML preserves the ordering of maps, so you could get away with the first, but it seems to me that anything where you're literally calling things "first," "second," "third," etc. implies a list.

The workflows are not actually ordered. My bad for using “first” and “second”, it brings confusion to the discussion. I will edit now.