Change build specification files from YAML to JSON?

[Chris Johns]

On 25/4/2023 12:20 am, Sebastian Huber wrote:
> On 24.04.23 16:17, Kinsey Moore wrote:
>> I think we've been moving away from in-file comments in the YAML and toward
>> actual labels in the data, anyway. If it's important information, it should be
>> kept properly.
> 
> Yes, there should be no comments in the build specification files. They would be
> lost in YAML load/save cycle.

I am fine with json as a format. Comments are useful even for copyright notices
which would be lost. Is that OK?

My concern is a major shift on top of a major change to waf so close together.
As a community we have only just started to get a number of people across what
we have and then things change? I see the counter point about making this happen
before 6 however I am still not sure what the cost/benefit is?

The YAML lacks support tooling in rtems.git but it is usable as is. I am
concerned a move to json would compound the problem. On the other hand if we
considered json as the data could tooling mean we avoid hand editing?

If that was the approach how would we move to have tooling to help?

Chrid