Data Formats

Every time two systems communicate, they need to agree on a common language. When a mobile app fetches user data from a server, when services exchange messages through Kafka, or when you store configuration in a file, data formats are doing the work.

The format you choose affects how fast the system runs, how much bandwidth it uses, how easily the API can change, and how simple it is to debug production problems.

JSON is a common default because it is familiar, even when another format fits the job better.

This chapter covers the common data formats and how to choose the right one for a given job.