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YAML to JSON Converter

Convert YAML data to JSON format and vice versa with live preview.

YAML Input

JSON Output

What Is YAML?

YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization format that uses indentation to define structure. Unlike JSON or XML, YAML relies on whitespace rather than brackets, braces, or tags, making it one of the most readable data formats available. A YAML to JSON converter transforms this indentation-based syntax into the widely-used JSON format, enabling interoperability between configuration files and web APIs.

YAML vs JSON vs XML

YAML

Uses indentation for structure. Most human-readable. Ideal for configuration files, Docker Compose, Kubernetes manifests, and CI/CD pipelines.

JSON

Uses braces and brackets. Compact and machine-parseable. The standard format for APIs, data exchange, and web storage. Supported natively in JavaScript.

XML

Uses tags and attributes. Verbose but extensible. Commonly used in legacy systems, SOAP APIs, and document markup scenarios like RSS feeds.

Common YAML Use Cases

YAML is the default configuration format for many modern DevOps tools. Docker Compose uses YAML to define multi-container applications. Kubernetes relies on YAML for defining pods, deployments, services, and other resources. CI/CD platforms like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and CircleCI all use YAML syntax for pipeline definitions. Ansible playbooks are written in YAML, as are OpenAPI specifications and Serverless Framework configurations. Converting YAML to JSON is a common task when transferring configuration data between systems that expect JSON input.

How to Use This YAML Converter

Using this YAML to JSON converter online is simple. Paste your YAML content into the input textarea and click Convert to JSON. The tool immediately parses your YAML structure and displays the equivalent JSON with proper indentation. If your YAML is invalid, you will see a clear error message indicating the issue. Use the Load Sample button to see a working example, and Copy to copy the output to your clipboard. All processing happens on your device — your data is never sent to a server.

Tips for Valid YAML

Use spaces, not tabs — YAML requires spaces for indentation. Tabs will cause parsing errors.
Consistent indentation — All items at the same nesting level must have the same number of spaces.
Quote strings with special characters — Values containing colons, hashes, or brackets should be quoted.
Booleans are case-sensitive — Use true/false (lowercase) for boolean values.
Use single quotes for reserved words — Words like yes, no, on, off may be interpreted as booleans unless quoted.

How to Do This in Code

import { parse, stringify } from 'yaml';
const json = parse(yamlString);
const yaml = stringify(jsonObj);

import yaml
import json
data = yaml.safe_load(yaml_string)
json_str = json.dumps(data, indent=2)

import "gopkg.in/yaml.v3"

var data map[string]any
yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(yamlStr), &data)
jsonData, _ := json.MarshalIndent(data, "", "  ")

yq -o=json input.yaml
jq -c . | yq -P > output.yaml

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YAML to JSON Converter FAQ

Why convert YAML to JSON?

JSON is better for APIs and web transmission. YAML is more human-readable for config files. Converting between them gives you the best of both.

Is either format lossy?

Most YAML features (like anchors and aliases) are not representable in JSON, so some data may be expanded during conversion.