Data Formats
JSON, YAML, Base64, percent-encoding: the layers data passes through between one system and the next. Most bugs here come from applying the right transformation at the wrong boundary, so these posts focus on where each format belongs rather than on syntax.
What's Inside a JWT — And What You Should Never Put There
A JWT is three Base64url strings and a signature. Understanding which part is secret (none of them) changes how you design with it.
JSON vs YAML: When Each One Actually Makes Sense
They encode the same data. The differences that matter are about who writes the file, who reads it, and what happens when someone makes a typo.
Base64 Myths: Why It's Not Encryption and Never Was
It has no key. That single fact settles most of what people believe about Base64 — and explains the three bugs it keeps causing.
URL Encoding: Why Spaces Become %20 and + Causes Bugs
Two encoding standards share one syntax, disagree about the plus sign, and produce a bug that only appears when a user types a plus.
How to Format, Validate, and Compare JSON
A practical guide to cleaning up messy JSON, catching syntax errors, and diffing two payloads — all in the browser.