Data Formats

Data Formats By Subhash Chandran

Types

Storage
Integration and communication

Types

Binary
Text

Binary Formats

Costly to implement
Both systems should support same interfaces
Both should support the same version of the interfaces

Some Binary Formats

CORBA
RMI
COM
EAI

Some Text Formats

Strict text formats (think COBOL)
CSV
Ini
Java properties
XML
JSON
YAML

Strict text formats: Limitations

Each and every column to be defined precisely
The definition should be understandable by all participating applications

CSV

Good way to share tabular data

CSV Limitations No one standard: “name”,”age”,”,”” name,age,, Both the above are valid!

Ini Format

Two levels of hierarchy supported
Good parser support

ini format example [key1] subkey1 = value subkey2 = value [key2] subkey1 = value subkey2 = value

Java Properties

Well defined
No external library required for parsing

XML

Well defined
Has well defined set of complementing technologies: DTD, XML Schema, XSLT, XPath
Wide support in many programming languages
Any level of nesting

JSON JavaScript Object Notation

JSON

Ease of parsing using JavaScript
Good for Ajax

JSON Examples ["python","java","ruby"] {"python":"Guido van Rossum","php":"Rasmus Lerdorf","java":"James Gosling"}

Serialize Java Objects as JSON

Consume JSON in JavaScript: Arrays

Consume JSON in JavaScript: Map

YAML: YAML Ain’t Markup Language american: - Boston Red Sox - Detroit Tigers - New York Yankees national: - New York Mets - Chicago Cubs - Atlanta Braves

When to use what? Ini Two level hierarchy. JSON When JavaScript consumes your content. Ajax applications. XML All cases! YAML Human editing is needed.

Thanks :-)