TOML is a configuration file format designed for human readability and unambiguous mapping to hash tables. It serves as a standardized language for structured data, enabling consistent parsing and data exchange across diverse programming environments.
The format distinguishes itself through a strict type-system specification that ensures data is interpreted identically regardless of the implementation. It utilizes a line-oriented lexical structure that supports both hierarchical organization through bracketed sections and compact inline embedding for nested objects. This approach allows for the representation of complex data models while maintaining a clear, readable text format.
The language supports a wide range of primitive and complex data types, including integers, floating-point numbers, booleans, and standardized date-time values. It provides flexible string encoding for multi-line content and raw text, alongside built-in support for inline comments to facilitate documentation within configuration files. These capabilities allow for the definition of nested tables, arrays, and arrays of tables to model multi-dimensional data structures.
