Array

A YAML Array can be represented in mutliple ways:

# this is an empty array
my-empty-array: []

# filled it might look like this
my-filled-array-1: [a, b, c] 

# or this
my-filled-array-2: 
  - a
  - b
  - c

In Minecraft plugin configurations, the block style (-) is strongly recommended for readability.

Map (Object/Section)

Most plugin configs are structured as maps (also called sections):

mysql:
  host: localhost
  port: 3306
  database: minecraft

This is equivalent to:

mysql: { host: localhost, port: 3306, database: minecraft }

The block style should always be preferred.

Indentation

YAML uses indentation to represent structure. This is VERY IMPORTANT.

Correct:

features:
  chat:
    enabled: true

Wrong:

features:
 chat:
    enabled: true

Roles you should follow:

• Only use spaces no tabs
• Keep your style consistent

Incorrect indentation is one of the most common reasons why Minecraft plugins fail to load their configuration properly. The Server will also complain with an error message in the console when a configuration file could not be loaded.

Comments

# This is a comment

Comments are ignored by the parser. This means they have no effect at all. For minecraft plugin configuration, the comments often get lost. So if all the comments in your file suddenly vanish. Dont worry, this is normal.

Strings

name: Obey
prefix: "[Founder]"

Quotes are optional in most cases. You should use quotes when:

• the value contains a colon :
• the value starts with a special char
• the value contains leading or tracing spaces
• the value contains color codes

Correct:

shop: "Shop: Main Menu"

discord: "&e&o Checkout our Discord Server."

Wrong:

shop: Shop: Main Menu

discord: &e&o Checkout our Discord Server.

Numbers

amount: 5
price: 12.5

# Numbers are parsed as numeric values.
# Do not quote numbers unless the plugin explicitly expects a string.

Booleans

enabled: true
debug: false

# yaml also allows the following: 
#  yes / no
#  on / off

# i recommend you stick to the classic true/false