Properties
- Uniqueness of canonical encoding: Forbidding whitespace between list elements and providing just one way of encoding atoms ensures that every S-expression has exactly one encoded form. Since the unique encoded form is itself a sequence of bytes, by hashing it we can provide every S-expression with a unique hash value. Furthermore, we can decide whether two S-expressions are equivalent by comparing their encodings.
- Support for binary data: Atoms can be any binary string. So, a cryptographic hash value or a public key modulus that would otherwise have to be encoded in base64 or some other printable encoding can be expressed in csexp as its binary bytes.
- Support for type-tagging encoded information: A csexp includes a non-S-expression construct for indicating the encoding of a string, when that encoding is not obvious. Any atom in csexp can be prefixed by a single atom in square brackets - such as "" or "".
Read more about this topic: Canonical S-expressions
Famous quotes containing the word properties:
“A drop of water has the properties of the sea, but cannot exhibit a storm. There is beauty of a concert, as well as of a flute; strength of a host, as well as of a hero.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The reason why men enter into society, is the preservation of their property; and the end why they choose and authorize a legislative, is, that there may be laws made, and rules set, as guards and fences to the properties of all the members of the society: to limit the power, and moderate the dominion, of every part and member of the society.”
—John Locke (1632–1704)