Text-based Configuration Files

Text files can contain the configuration information for an application.

Features

A text file contains all the configuration data for an application
Tools may edit this file, or users can edit it directly.
Most text file formats have some form of comment syntax.
Some de-facto standard representations have evolved, others are evolving.
Some of the common formats support validation tools, tools that can validate the syntax of a description.

Text files can be edited in a developer/operation's team member's favourite text editor.
Text files can be edited over a remote terminal connection, even over a low-bandwidth link.
Files can be shared between systems
Text inside files can be cut, copied and paste between configurations.
The files can be kept under SCM; this provides change auditing and rollback services.
Comments can document the file, or be used to comment out part of the configuration during iterative development.
Configurations for different applications (and versions of applications) can be kept independent. This is in contrast to the Pattern - The Windows Registry

Many text file formats do not have a standard encoding, which complicates re-use and parsing.
Text editing can be error prone.
There is no single format for all applications, hence many different text file formats to use and learn.

SmartFrog is a Text Based Configuration format, with integration with the deployment tools.