Syntax Errors

Common syntax errors and how the parser recovers.

A syntax error is a problem in the shape of the text — an unbalanced brace, a missing comma, an unterminated string — detected while tokenizing or parsing, before any schema validation. (Errors about values — wrong type, out of range — are validation errors; see Error Model.)

Common syntax errors

Unbalanced brackets

pt: { object, schema: { x: int } }
---
{ 1                      # ✗ expecting-bracket  (the '{' is never closed)

The unterminated { raises expecting-bracket.

Missing comma

Values must be comma-separated. Without commas, several tokens merge into one open string:

~ 101 Thomas 25      # one value "101 Thomas 25", not three

Unterminated string

A quoted string with no closing quote raises a tokenizer error:

~ "John Doe          # missing closing quote

Recovery is bounded by structure

On a syntax error the parser skips ahead to the next boundary — a record separator ~ or a section separator --- (or end of file) — records the error, and resumes. So one malformed record does not prevent later records from being parsed. See Parser Behavior & Recovery.

See Also

• Error Model

• Parser Behavior & Recovery

• Comments