YAML ↔ JSON Converter
Convert between YAML and JSON with automatic format detection. Paste your input, click Convert, and get the result instantly — no server involved.
Features
- Auto-detect: the tool recognizes JSON (starts with
{or[) and YAML automatically - YAML → JSON: parse any YAML including anchors, aliases, and merge keys
- JSON → YAML: convert objects and arrays to clean YAML notation
- Syntax validation: clear error messages with position info on invalid input
- Copy & Download: copy the result to clipboard or save as
.json/.yaml
Common use cases
- Convert a Docker Compose or Kubernetes YAML manifest to JSON for API calls
- Transform a JSON API response to YAML for readable configuration files
- Debug YAML anchors by expanding them to plain JSON
- Validate YAML syntax before committing to a repository
YAML vs JSON: Key Differences
| Feature | YAML | JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Syntax | Indentation-based | Brace and bracket delimited |
| Comments | Supported (# comment) | Not supported |
| Strings | Quotes optional | Quotes required |
| Multiline | Native block scalars | Escaped \n only |
| Anchors | Supported (&anchor, *alias) | Not supported |
YAML is human-friendly for configuration files (Docker Compose, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions). JSON is the standard for API responses and data interchange.
How the Converter Works
The converter uses a YAML parser that supports the full YAML 1.2 specification, including anchors and merge keys (<<). When converting to JSON, anchor references are fully expanded — the output is always flat, valid JSON with no YAML-specific constructs.
For JSON-to-YAML conversion, the tool generates clean block-style YAML: objects are expanded to indented key-value pairs, arrays use the - item list syntax, and long strings are kept as literals when possible.
Privacy
All conversion happens locally in your browser. Your YAML and JSON data is never sent to a server.