Teams
=====

Pokémon Showdown uses three teams formats:

1. Export format - for humans to read/write
2. JSON format - for computers to read/write
3. Packed format - compressed, for sending/saving/logging

Teams sent over a text format, such as the console command `/utm` or the command-line `./pokemon-showdown validate-team`, will usually used packed format. In addition, backups will automatically switch to packed format if you have enough teams.

Variables storing teams inside PS's codebase will generally be stored in JSON format. Because we use TypeScript, this will be pretty obvious; the type will be `PokemonSet[]` (for JSON format) rather than `string` (for packed format).

Export format is basically only used by the client, to show users.


Export format
-------------

Export format looks like this:

```
Articuno @ Leftovers  
Ability: Pressure  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD  
Modest Nature  
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD  
- Ice Beam  
- Hurricane  
- Substitute  
- Roost  

Ludicolo @ Life Orb  
Ability: Swift Swim  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe  
Modest Nature  
- Surf  
- Giga Drain  
- Ice Beam  
- Rain Dance  

Volbeat (M) @ Damp Rock  
Ability: Prankster  
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD  
Bold Nature  
- Tail Glow  
- Baton Pass  
- Encore  
- Rain Dance  

Seismitoad @ Life Orb  
Ability: Swift Swim  
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  
Modest Nature  
- Hydro Pump  
- Earth Power  
- Stealth Rock  
- Rain Dance  

Alomomola @ Damp Rock  
Ability: Regenerator  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD  
Bold Nature  
- Wish  
- Protect  
- Toxic  
- Rain Dance  

Armaldo @ Leftovers  
Ability: Swift Swim  
EVs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 124 Spe  
Adamant Nature  
- X-Scissor  
- Stone Edge  
- Aqua Tail  
- Rapid Spin  
```

It's used for teambuilder import/export features, and not much else. But as a user, this is the only format you'll see.


JSON format
-----------

JSON format looks like this:

```json
[
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Articuno",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Leftovers",
    "ability": "Pressure",
    "evs": {"hp": 252, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 4, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "ivs": {"hp": 31, "atk": 31, "def": 31, "spa": 30, "spd": 30, "spe": 31},
    "moves": ["Ice Beam", "Hurricane", "Substitute", "Roost"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Ludicolo",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Life Orb",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 4, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 0, "spe": 252},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "moves": ["Surf", "Giga Drain", "Ice Beam", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Volbeat",
    "gender": "M",
    "item": "Damp Rock",
    "ability": "Prankster",
    "evs": {"hp": 248, "atk": 0, "def": 252, "spa": 0, "spd": 8, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Bold",
    "moves": ["Tail Glow", "Baton Pass", "Encore", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Seismitoad",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Life Orb",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 0, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 4, "spe": 252},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "moves": ["Hydro Pump", "Earth Power", "Stealth Rock", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Alomomola",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Damp Rock",
    "ability": "Regenerator",
    "evs": {"hp": 252, "atk": 0, "def": 252, "spa": 0, "spd": 4, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Bold",
    "moves": ["Wish", "Protect", "Toxic", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Armaldo",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Leftovers",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 128, "atk": 252, "def": 4, "spa": 0, "spd": 0, "spe": 124},
    "nature": "Adamant",
    "moves": ["X-Scissor", "Stone Edge", "Aqua Tail", "Rapid Spin"]
   }
]
```


Packed format
-------------

Packed format looks like this:

```
Articuno||leftovers|pressure|icebeam,hurricane,substitute,roost|Modest|252,,,252,4,||,,,30,30,|||]Ludicolo||lifeorb|swiftswim|surf,gigadrain,icebeam,raindance|Modest|4,,,252,,252|||||]Volbeat||damprock|prankster|tailglow,batonpass,encore,raindance|Bold|248,,252,,8,|M||||]Seismitoad||lifeorb|swiftswim|hydropump,earthpower,stealthrock,raindance|Modest|,,,252,4,252|||||]Alomomola||damprock|regenerator|wish,protect,toxic,raindance|Bold|252,,252,,4,|||||]Armaldo||leftovers|swiftswim|xscissor,stoneedge,aquatail,rapidspin|Adamant|128,252,4,,,124|||||
```


Team validator
--------------

The team validator is separate from the simulator.

In JavaScript, it's available directly as a function:

```js
const Sim = require('pokemon-showdown');

const validator = new Sim.TeamValidator('gen6nu');

const output = validator.validateTeam([
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Articuno",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Leftovers",
    "ability": "Pressure",
    "evs": {"hp": 252, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 4, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "ivs": {"hp": 31, "atk": 31, "def": 31, "spa": 30, "spd": 30, "spe": 31},
    "moves": ["Ice Beam", "Hurricane", "Substitute", "Roost"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Ludicolo",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Life Orb",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 4, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 0, "spe": 252},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "moves": ["Surf", "Giga Drain", "Ice Beam", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Volbeat",
    "gender": "M",
    "item": "Damp Rock",
    "ability": "Prankster",
    "evs": {"hp": 248, "atk": 0, "def": 252, "spa": 0, "spd": 8, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Bold",
    "moves": ["Tail Glow", "Baton Pass", "Encore", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Seismitoad",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Life Orb",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 0, "atk": 0, "def": 0, "spa": 252, "spd": 4, "spe": 252},
    "nature": "Modest",
    "moves": ["Hydro Pump", "Earth Power", "Stealth Rock", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Alomomola",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Damp Rock",
    "ability": "Regenerator",
    "evs": {"hp": 252, "atk": 0, "def": 252, "spa": 0, "spd": 4, "spe": 0},
    "nature": "Bold",
    "moves": ["Wish", "Protect", "Toxic", "Rain Dance"]
  },
  {
    "name": "",
    "species": "Armaldo",
    "gender": "",
    "item": "Leftovers",
    "ability": "Swift Swim",
    "evs": {"hp": 128, "atk": 252, "def": 4, "spa": 0, "spd": 0, "spe": 124},
    "nature": "Adamant",
    "moves": ["X-Scissor", "Stone Edge", "Aqua Tail", "Rapid Spin"]
   }
]);
```

`output` will be an array of problems, if it's not a legal team, or `null`, if it's a legal team.

If you're not using JavaScript, use the commandline API: https://github.com/smogon/pokemon-showdown/blob/master/COMMANDLINE.md
