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HCL is a toolkit for creating structured configuration languages that are both human- and machine-friendly, for use with command-line tools. Although intended to be generally useful, it is primarily targeted toward DevOps tools, servers, etc. HCL has both a native syntax, intended to be pleasant to read and write for humans, and a JSON-based variant that is easier for machines to generate and parse. It includes an expression syntax that allows basic inline computation and, with support from the calling application, the use of variables and functions for more dynamic configuration languages. HCL provides a set of constructs that can be used by a calling application to construct a configuration language. The application defines which attribute names and nested block types are expected, and HCL parses the configuration file, verifies that it conforms to the expected structure, and returns high-level objects that the application can use for further processing.
Features
- Whereas JSON and YAML are formats for serializing data structures, HCL is a syntax and API specifically designed for building structured configuration formats
- HCL is intended as a base syntax for configuration formats built around key-value pairs and hierarchical blocks whose structure is well-defined by the calling application
- HCL attempts to strike a compromise between generic serialization formats such as JSON and configuration formats built around full programming languages
- HCL is built around two primary concepts: attributes and blocks
- Regardless of which syntax is used, the API within the calling application is the same
- It is primarily targeted towards devops tools, servers, etc.
Project Samples
