--- %YAML:1.0 test: Simple Alias Example brief: > If you need to refer to the same item of data twice, you can give that item an alias. The alias is a plain string, starting with an ampersand. The item may then be referred to by the alias throughout your document by using an asterisk before the name of the alias. This is called an anchor. yaml: | - &showell Steve - Clark - Brian - Oren - *showell php: | array('Steve', 'Clark', 'Brian', 'Oren', 'Steve') --- test: Alias of a Mapping brief: > An alias can be used on any item of data, including sequences, mappings, and other complex data types. yaml: | - &hello Meat: pork Starch: potato - banana - *hello php: | array(array('Meat'=>'pork', 'Starch'=>'potato'), 'banana', array('Meat'=>'pork', 'Starch'=>'potato'))