The Erbsland Configuration Language (ELCL) is a human-centric configuration format designed with a focus on clarity and ease of use. ELCL simplifies software configuration, making it intuitive for both developers and end-users.
ELCL version 1.0 has been officially released. The language specification is complete, and reference implementations are currently in development and will be available soon.
What’s still pending:
- There are currently no defined guidelines for verification rules or for implementing a parser API. These sections will be published once the reference implementations are finalized.
- Also, there are currently no contribution guidelines for the language specification.
- Short on time? Check out the Language Overview for a quick introduction.
- Looking for more details? Read the comprehensive introduction chapter to get started.
- Implementing a parser? Find all details the language reference chapter.
ELCL balances the flexibility required for human users to freely edit configuration documents and add comments, with the technical needs for strict and straightforward parsing. The language is designed to be familiar and easy to learn, enabling developers to quickly adopt it. Some of the main features include:
- Simplicity: ELCL offers an intuitive syntax with built-in type safety, minimizing common configuration errors.
- Safety: The language supports strict and safe parsers, ensuring robust and secure configurations.
- Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed specifications, along with user and developer guides, make ELCL easy to understand and implement.
- Reference Implementations: Available for Python and C++, these implementations help integrate ELCL into your application or serve as examples for writing your own parser.
- Compliance Test Suite: An extensive test suite ensures that parsers conform to the ELCL specification, fostering reliable and consistent implementations.
- Implementation Levels: ELCL supports various implementation levels, from lightweight micro-parsers for resource-constrained environments to full-featured parsers that handle complex configurations seamlessly.
- Metadata Support: Metadata statements allow you to specify language versions and required features, ensuring backward compatibility and future-proofing.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tobias Erbsland - Erbsland DEV. https://erbsland.dev
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
