YAML to JSON Converter

How to use the YAML to JSON Converter

1. 1Paste your YAML 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 YAML to JSON.
3. 3Read the JSON output on the right. It updates as you type.
4. 4If an error appears, it names the line of the YAML that could not be read; fix it and the output returns.
5. 5Press Copy result, or Download to save a JSON file.

Why people convert YAML to JSON

The two formats suit different jobs. 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. 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. A move from YAML to JSON 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 indentation is read into objects and lists and written back with braces and brackets, using the indent size you choose. Anchors, aliases and multi-line text blocks are resolved so the JSON contains the final values.

How the YAML to JSON conversion works

The tool first reads your YAML 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 JSON style. Because nothing is guessed about the content, the values you see in the JSON are the ones that were in the YAML.

If the YAML is wrongly indented, the converter points to the line instead of returning something half right.

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

Tips for a clean JSON result

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

Keep a copy of the original YAML. 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 JSON.

On phone and computer

On a computer, paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, check the JSON and use Copy result. On a phone, long-press in the left box to paste, and use the Download button to save a JSON 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. Make the output easy to read with JSON Formatter and check it with JSON Validator. Data Format Converter handles other pairs, and CSV to JSON Converter goes the other way for tables.

Features

• Converts YAML to JSON as you type
• Clear error messages that name the problem in the YAML
• 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