YAML to JSON Converter
Paste YAML and get JSON, or paste JSON and get YAML. The tool auto-detects the format, validates the input, and converts instantly — all in your browser with no data sent to any server.
YAML
JSON
Nothing is sent to our servers. All conversion and validation happens entirely in your browser.
How to use this tool
- Paste your YAML into the left panel or your JSON into the right panel — conversion starts immediately as you type.
- If you paste JSON into the YAML panel (or YAML into the JSON panel), the tool auto-detects the format and moves it to the correct side.
- Use the indent buttons at the top to choose minified, 2-space, or 4-space JSON output.
- Click the Copy button on either panel to copy the content to your clipboard.
- Click the trash icon to clear a panel. If that panel was the source of the last conversion, the output panel is also cleared.
Why use our YAML to JSON Converter?
YAML and JSON represent the same data structures — objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans — but are used in different contexts. YAML is common in configuration files (Docker Compose, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, Ansible), while JSON is the standard for APIs and web data. This converter lets you move between them without installing any tooling, and because everything runs in your browser, sensitive configuration data never leaves your machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is YAML?
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialisation format designed to be easy to write and read. It uses indentation to represent nesting instead of brackets or braces, which makes it popular for configuration files. It is a strict superset of JSON, meaning every valid JSON document is also valid YAML.
What is the difference between YAML and JSON?
Both formats represent the same data types (objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, null). The key differences are syntax and use case. YAML uses indentation and does not require quotes around most strings or commas between items — it is optimised for human readability. JSON uses braces, brackets, and commas — it is optimised for machine parsing and is the standard for REST APIs. YAML also supports comments (lines beginning with #), which JSON does not.
Can YAML represent everything JSON can?
Yes. Since YAML is a superset of JSON, any data structure expressible in JSON can be expressed in YAML. The reverse is also true for common data types (objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, null), though YAML has additional features — such as anchors, aliases, and multi-line strings — that have no direct JSON equivalent and will be simplified during conversion.
What does 'indentation' mean in YAML?
In YAML, indentation (spaces — never tabs) is used to indicate structure. Child elements of an object or items in a list are indented further than their parent. The number of spaces does not matter as long as it is consistent within a block. Two spaces per level is the most common convention.
Does YAML support comments?
Yes — lines or inline text starting with # are comments in YAML. Comments are ignored by parsers and have no effect on the data. However, comments cannot be represented in JSON, so they are discarded when converting YAML to JSON.
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