docs: @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") // when we cast yaml.load(fin)
    public static Map<String, Object> loadFile(String fileName) {
      Map<String, Object> props = new HashMap<>();
      if (fileName == null) {
        LOG.warning("Config file name cannot be null");
        return props;
      } else if (fileName.isEmpty()) {
        LOG.warning("Config file name is empty");
        return props;
      } else {
  
        // check if the file exists and also it is a regular file
        Path path = Paths.get(fileName);
  
        if (!Files.exists(path)) {
          LOG.fine("Config file " + fileName + " does not exist");
          return props;
        }
  
        if (!Files.isRegularFile(path)) {
          LOG.warning("Config file " + fileName + " might be a directory.");
          return props;
        }
  
        LOG.log(Level.FINE, "Reading config file {0}", fileName);
  
        Map<String, Object> propsYaml = null;
        try {
          FileInputStream fin = new FileInputStream(new File(fileName));
          try {
            Yaml yaml = new Yaml();
            propsYaml = (Map<String, Object>) yaml.load(fin);
            LOG.log(Level.FINE, "Successfully read config file {0}", fileName);
          } finally {
            fin.close();
          }
        } catch (IOException e) {
          LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, "Failed to load config file: " + fileName, e);
        }
  
        return propsYaml != null ? propsYaml : props;
      }
    }