It uses a few weird ASCII characters as delimiters and to denote data types. The file is a simple, single-line database (there are never any line breaks). The miniature database holding all the information about the non-Steam shortcuts for that device are stored locally in Steam\userdata\ID_HERE\config\ shortcuts.vdf File Structure
These shortcuts can also be accessed by following a steam:// URL based on its local path and name - see below for more info. This is beneficial for multiple reasons, such as having a unified library for all games on your computer or easy-to-modify custom controller mappings for non-Steam games. Steam shortcuts allow games and other applications to be launched through Steam.
