1. A method for generating a data parser for parsing an input stream of data objects, the method including: receiving information representative of a hierarchical data format defining a plurality of objects organized in a hierarchy, the objects including one or more schema objects representing data objects, and one or more container objects each associated with one or more schema objects; and processing the received information to form the data parser, the processing including: determining permissible transitions between successive data objects in the input stream, based at least in part on the information representative of the hierarchical data format; associating one or more data operations with each of the determined permissible transitions; and storing a specification for configuring a processor to execute the data parser to: (1) recognize a transition between a first data object and a second data object in the input stream, and (2) perform a data operation associated with the recognized transition on a data value within the second data object based at least in part on a context associated with one or more previously recognized transitions.