TOML and Python

[Stefan Ram]

A structure with information can be represented in TOML,
see example [1]. However, equivalent information also could
be written in pure Python and possibly be parsed with ast.
literal_eval, see example [2].

Since we already have Python, why do we need TOML in
addition?

What advantages do you see in using TOML for ini or config
files instead of Python?

When is it better to use TOML and when is it better to user
Python to represent structured information?

TIA!

[1]

# This is a TOML document

title = "TOML Example"

[owner]
name = "Tom Preston-Werner"
dob = 1979-05-27T07:32:00-08:00

[database]
server = "192.168.1.1"
ports = [ 8000, 8001, 8002 ]
connection_max = 5000
enabled = true

[servers]

[servers.alpha]
ip = "10.0.0.1"
dc = "eqdc10"

[servers.beta]
ip = "10.0.0.2"
dc = "eqdc10"

[2]

config = {
"title": "TOML Example",
"owner": {
"name": "Tom Preston-Werner",
"dob": "1979-05-27T07:32:00-08:00"
},
"database": {
"server": "192.168.1.1",
"ports": [8000, 8001, 8002],
"connection_max": 5000,
"enabled": True
},
"servers": {
"alpha": {
"ip": "10.0.0.1",
"dc": "eqdc10"
},
"beta": {
"ip": "10.0.0.2",
"dc": "eqdc10"
}
}
}

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Since we already have Python, why do we need TOML in addition?

TOML isn’t Python-specific.