---
title: "YAML multiline values"
date: 2020-09-17
draft: false
tags:
  - yaml
images:
- https://opengraph.cluster.fun/opengraph/?siteTitle=Today%20I%20learnt...&title=YAML%20multiline%20values&tags=yaml&image=https%3A%2F%2Fmarcusnoble.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fmarcus.jpg&twitter=Marcus_Noble_&github=AverageMarcus&website=www.MarcusNoble.co.uk
---

After using YAML for a long time, for many, many Kubernetes manifest files, I have today learnt that it contains two multiline value types (called scalars):

```yaml
scalarsExample:
    literalScalar: |
        Literal scalars use the pipe (`|`) to denote the start of the value with the scope indicated by indentation.
        All content here is used literally, with newlines preserved.
        <-- This is the start of the line, the spaces before this aren't included in the literal.
        This should be used when storing things like file contents (e.g. in a ConfigMap)
    foldedScalar: >
        Folded scalars use the greater-than symbol (`>`) to denote the start of the value with the scope indicated by indentation.
        Unlike literal scalars newlines aren't preserved and instead converted into spaces. 
        <-- This is the start of the line, the spaces before this aren't included in the value.
        This should be used when you'd normally use a string but the contents are long and wrapping makes it easier to read.
```

> More info: https://yaml.org/spec/1.2/spec.html#id2760844 