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André Christoffer Andersen
André Christoffer Andersen
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I've always used JSON files for configuration of my applications. I started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server-side and data science Python development and am not sure if JSON is the right way to go any more.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple Python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl + B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict JSON. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and JSON parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the configuration file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited.)

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently committed to Git and are rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered YAML, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the American table.)

I've always used JSON files for configuration of my applications. I started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server-side and data science Python development and am not sure if JSON is the right way to go any more.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple Python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl + B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict JSON. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and JSON parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the configuration file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited.)

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently committed to Git and are rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered YAML, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the American table.)

I've always used JSON files for configuration of my applications. I started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server-side and data science Python development and am not sure if JSON is the right way to go any more.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple Python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl + B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict JSON. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and JSON parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the configuration file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited.)

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently committed to Git and are rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered YAML, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the table.)

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edit approved Jun 19, 2017 at 0:36
Peter Mortensen
edit approved Jun 19, 2017 at 0:36
Peter Mortensen
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How bad of an idea is it to use pythonPython files as configuration files?

I've always used jsonJSON files for configuration of my applications. StartedI started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server side-side and data science Python development, and am not sure if jsonJSON is the right way to go anymoreany more.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple pythonPython data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl+BCtrl + B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict jsonJSON. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and jsonJSON parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the configconfiguration file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited).)

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently commitedcommitted to git,Git and are rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered yamlYAML, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the americanAmerican table.)

How bad of an idea is it to use python files as configuration files?

I've always used json files for configuration of my applications. Started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, now I'm working mainly on server side and data science Python development, and not sure if json is the right way to go anymore.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl+B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict json. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and json parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the config file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited).

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently commited to git, and rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered yaml, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the american table.)

How bad of an idea is it to use Python files as configuration files?

I've always used JSON files for configuration of my applications. I started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server-side and data science Python development and am not sure if JSON is the right way to go any more.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple Python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl + B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict JSON. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and JSON parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the configuration file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited.)

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently committed to Git and are rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered YAML, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the American table.)

Source Link
André Christoffer Andersen
André Christoffer Andersen
  • 1.4k
  • 2
  • 13
  • 18

How bad of an idea is it to use python files as configuration files?

I've always used json files for configuration of my applications. Started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, now I'm working mainly on server side and data science Python development, and not sure if json is the right way to go anymore.

I've seen Celery use actual Python files for configuration. Initially I was skeptical about it. But the idea of using simple python data structures for configuration is starting to grow on me. Some pros:

  • The data structures will be the same as I'm normally coding in. So, I don't need to change frame of mind.
  • My IDE (PyCharm) understands the connection between configuration and code. Ctrl+B makes it possible to jump between configuration and code easily.
  • I don't need to work with IMO unnecessary strict json. I'm looking at you double quotes, no trailing commas and no comments.
  • I can write testing configurations in the application I'm working on, then easily port them to a configuration file without having to do any conversion and json parsing.
  • It is possible to do very simple scripting in the config file if really necessary. (Although this should be very, very limited).

So, my question is: If I switch, how am I shooting myself in the foot?

No unskilled end user will be using the configuration files. Any changes to the configuration files are currently commited to git, and rolled out to our servers as part of continuous deployment. There are no manual configuration changes, unless there is an emergency or it is in development.

(I've considered yaml, but something about it irks me. So, for now it is off the american table.)