I don’t think you get my gist about syntax vs information. I can express the same data in a different format, in the same way that JSON and YAML can often be transformed into each other.

You are pulling a straw man by implying that requires much cloudformation, which is completely unrelated. Besides, CF is a good example of how you can use two different syntax to describe the same information.

The format of a configuration file has no relation to the output of the program that parses it. Why are you being so obtuse about this? Your three-line arc file would be a three line YAML file. Stop doubling down on this nonsense.