Flatfile
¶What this is
A flatfile system stores data as plain, human-readable files — text, markdown, YAML, CSV, or similar. No binary encoding. No running database process required to read or write data. Any tool that can open a file can read the data.
Data MUST be readable without a running server or database process. Files MUST be human-readable in a text editor. The file system is the storage layer — no separate data store. A flatfile system MAY use YAML, TOML, or similar structured formats within files, and MAY use a read cache or index for query performance, provided the files remain the source of truth.