Five Levels of Configuration Languages: From Simple Strings to Turing Completeness

This article explores five levels of configuration languages, ranging from simple file strings to full-fledged programming languages. The author argues that choosing the right level is crucial, advocating for the lowest possible level to maintain simplicity and avoid over-engineering. Each level's characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and potential problems (like circular dependencies) are illustrated with real-world examples. The article concludes by recommending a judicious choice for different scenarios, preventing unnecessary complexity.