Thousands of YAML files have been shared with us. These are the most common issues grouped into categories:
- Valid indentation but invalid outcome. For example, a map key belonging to the wrong map due to an indentation issue.
- Using wrong (and invisible to the eye) characters like a tab instead of a space.
Solution: use spaces, and two space increments are standard for levels of indentation for YAML (even though others space increments are valid). Two spaces are most recognized by users.
- Map keys need a colon followed by a space
Solution: add the space
Not escaping characters including :, -, and #.
Solution: use block scalars or quotes.
YAML processors should support UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32.
Be wary if you're using anything else.