Sketching the format stack Lassi Kortela 19 Sep 2019 18:07 UTC

Here's a very rough and very tentative sketch of such a stack of three
formats, everything subject to change:

Simple data types: Mostly portable S-expressions or JSON
Simple text syntax: Mostlt portable S-expressions or JSON
Simple binary encoding: Mostly just varints and type tags?

Intermediate data types:
List/vector/set/ordered-set/map/bytevector/bitvector + complex numbers
Intermediate text syntax: Classic S-expressions with a few extensions
Intermediate binary encoding: Simple one + skippable sub-encodings + DNS
names?

Complex data types: Everything in John's spreadsheet, and more
Complex text syntax: S-expressions + every trick in the book
Complex binary encoding: ASN.1?

Couldn't resist drafting one already :)