Format
Format is a set of rules to structure a piece of text, and make it parsable by a specific engine. A piece of text may be in the format: then, it is usable as a command for another technology.
Formats have various shapes. Here are some examples of formats:
SQLStructure Query Language:SELECT column FROM table- Date and time:
2020-01-01 sprintf(), with%d 9- Regular expressions
YAMLINICSVJSON
It is possible to define one’s custom format. Common formats have comprehensive specifications, such as how to build them, and assorted tools, to encode, decode, use, combine, etc.
<?php
// displays 123 with 9 characters, and fills with dots any empty characters
// ......123
echo sprintf("%'.9d\n", 123);
?>