YAML files dominate configuration in the cloud native ecosystem. They’re used by Kuberentes, Helm, Tekton, and many other projects to define custom configuration and workflows. But YAML has its oddities, which is why the Cloud Native Buildpacks project chose TOML as its primary configuration format.
What is a TOML File?
The TOML file format is a simple and human-readable configuration file format used to define key-value pairs. TOML, which stands for “Tom’s Obvious, Minimal Language,” was designed to be easily understood by humans and computers. You can learn more about TOML from the official documentation, but a simple buildpack TOML file looks like this: