JSON to YAML Converter

How to use the JSON to YAML Converter

1. 1Paste your JSON into the box on the left, or press Try a sample to see how it works.
2. 2Check the options above the boxes; they only show the ones that matter for JSON to YAML.
3. 3Read the YAML output on the right. It updates as you type.
4. 4If an error appears, it names the line of the JSON that could not be read; fix it and the output returns.
5. 5Press Copy result, or Download to save a YAML file.

Why people convert JSON to YAML

The two formats suit different jobs. JSON is a text format built from curly-brace objects, square-bracket lists, strings, numbers, true, false and null; people meet it in web APIs, app settings and browser code. YAML is an indentation-based format where nesting is shown by spaces, lists start with a dash and keys end with a colon; people meet it in configuration files, Kubernetes, Docker Compose and CI pipelines. A move from JSON to YAML usually happens when data created in one place has to be used in another, and retyping it by hand would be slow and error-prone.

The same data is rewritten without braces, brackets or commas: nesting is shown by indentation and list items start with a dash. The result holds the same keys and values as the original, so loading either file in your program gives the same structure.

How the JSON to YAML conversion works

The tool first reads your JSON into a plain structure of rows or objects, so it knows what is a key and what is a value. It then writes that structure again in the YAML style. Because nothing is guessed about the content, the values you see in the YAML are the ones that were in the JSON.

Comments are not part of JSON, so none appear, but you can add your own in YAML afterwards.

• Paste the JSON exactly as it is, including the header line if there is one.
• Use Try a sample to see how a small JSON turns into YAML before using your own data.
• Read the YAML before you use it; check that special characters came through as you expect.

Tips for a clean YAML result

Start with tidy JSON: the same keys or columns in every record give the neatest YAML. If your JSON has stray blank lines or an inconsistent number of items, tidy them first, or the YAML will show empty values where something is missing.

Keep a copy of the original JSON. The conversion works well for data, but formatting such as colours, formulas and comments belongs to the program that made the file and does not travel into plain YAML.

On phone and computer

On a computer, paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, check the YAML and use Copy result. On a phone, long-press in the left box to paste, and use the Download button to save a YAML file you can send from the share menu.

The two boxes sit side by side on a wide screen and one above the other on a narrow one, so you can read both without zooming. Wide tables with many columns are easier to check on a computer, but short lists work fine on a phone. Before converting, run the source through JSON Validator so a stray comma does not break the output, and use JSON Formatter to read it. CSV to JSON Converter and Data Format Converter cover the neighbouring conversions.

Features

• Converts JSON to YAML as you type
• Clear error messages that name the problem in the JSON
• Sample data to try first
• Copy result or download as a file
• Private: runs in your browser, nothing uploaded
• Works on phone and computer

Frequently asked questions