Guide families Format Comparisons Best Format Guides Best Format for Convert Guides
Use-case recommendation

Best Format for Infrastructure Deployment Config

HCL is often best for declarative infrastructure configuration.

Open Samples Open Manifest
Recommendation

Define the default first.

HCL

HCL is purpose-built for IaC with expression support and clear structure.

application/octet-stream

Open Samples Open Hub

TOML

Use TOML for static app config rather than IaC expressions.

Files: 9

Samples Hub

YAML

Use YAML when surrounding tooling is YAML-native.

Files: 10

Samples Hub
Related decisions

Keep adjacent decisions one step away.

HCL vs TOML Files YAML vs TOML Files Best Config Format for Application Settings How to Convert HCL to TOML
FAQ

Resolve the likely objections early.

What is the default format recommendation for this use case?

HCL is the recommended default format here.

How should teams validate this recommendation?

Use sample files and manifest endpoints to test compatibility and behavior before rollout.