What is .toml?

TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) is a configuration file format that is easy to read due to its clear semantics. It is designed to map unambiguously to a hash table and is widely used in the Rust and Python ecosystems.

This quick guide explains when to use .toml files, how to open them on any device, and how to share them instantly with FileXhost.

When to use .toml files

You are working with Rust projects (`Cargo.toml`).
You are managing Python dependencies with Poetry (`pyproject.toml`).
You need a configuration format that is stricter than YAML but easier to read than JSON.
You want to avoid the ambiguity of whitespace-sensitive languages.

How to open .toml files

TOML files are plain text and can be opened in any text editor. IDEs like VS Code and IntelliJ have excellent support for syntax highlighting.

Algorithm details

TOML uses key-value pairs (`key = "value"`) and sections (`[section]`) similar to INI files but with a formal specification. It supports strings, integers, floats, booleans, arrays, and tables (dictionaries).

Browser & platform support

Direct: Browsers display it as plain text.
Parsing: Requires a parser library (like `@iarna/toml` in JS) to convert to objects.

Format comparison

Feature	Details
Readability	Highly readable, looks a lot like standard INI files but with more features.
Strictness	Stricter than YAML. No tabs allowed, strict typing prevents ambiguity.
Ecosystem	The standard for Rust (Cargo) and modern Python packaging (PEP 518).

How to create toml files

Text Editor: Save file as `config.toml`.
CLI Tools: `cargo init` (Rust) or `poetry init` (Python) generate TOML files automatically.

How to convert toml files

To JSON/YAML: Use tools like `yq` (which supports TOML) or online converters.
FileXhost: Upload to share configuration files.

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages

Obvious and minimal semantics
No whitespace ambiguity (unlike YAML)
Easy to parse into data structures
Great support for nested tables

Disadvantages

Can get verbose for deeply nested hierarchies
Less universal than JSON or YAML (though growing rapidly)
Array of tables syntax (`[[table]]`) can be confusing initially

Tools & software

Editors

VS Code (Even Better TOML extension), Sublime Text

Build Tools

Cargo (Rust), Poetry (Python), Hugo (Static Site Generator)

Parsers

toml-rs, toml (Python), @iarna/toml (Node.js)

Frequently asked questions

Is TOML better than YAML?

For configuration files, many developers prefer TOML because it is less prone to indentation errors and has explicit types.

What uses TOML?

It is the default for Rust's package manager (Cargo), Python's Poetry, the Hugo static site generator, and many modern CLI tools.

Can I use comments in TOML?

Yes, use the `#` symbol for comments, just like in Python, Ruby, or YAML.

Technical specs

File type: Code
Extension: .toml
MIME type: application/toml, text/x-toml
Compression: Uncompressed
Max file size on FileXhost: Up to 25 MB per file on the free plan and up to 1 GB on Pro FileXhost accounts.

Upload your .toml file to FileXhost to get a clean, shareable URL in seconds. View the file in a modern browser, protect access with optional settings, and let others download it without any confusing ads or cluttered file pages.

Upload .toml file