DevFlow logoDevFlow
ToolsPipelinesExploreDocsPricing
⌘F
DashboardPipeline BuilderAnalytics

Try Pro — Free 7 days

No credit card required

YAML Converter Online — Free JSON to YAML & YAML to JSON Tool

How to YAML Converter Online

  1. 1

    Paste your JSON or YAML into the input area, or upload a .json, .yaml, or .yml file using the upload button.

  2. 2

    The tool auto-detects your input format — JSON is converted to YAML, YAML is converted to JSON. Or force a direction using the JSON→YAML or YAML→JSON buttons.

  3. 3

    Choose your indentation — 2, 4, or 8 spaces — and optionally enable Sort Keys to alphabetically order object properties.

  4. 4

    Click Convert or press ⌘↵ (Mac) / Ctrl+Enter (Windows) to convert instantly.

  5. 5

    Use Validate (⌘⇧V) to check syntax with precise line and column error reporting, or Format to prettify YAML with consistent indentation.

  6. 6

    Copy the output with ⌘⇧C, download as .json or .yaml, or share via a gzip-compressed URL.

YAML Converter Features

  • ✓

    Bidirectional JSON↔YAML conversion with automatic format detection — paste any valid JSON or YAML and get the other format instantly.

  • ✓

    YAML 1.2 specification compliance via the yaml library, ensuring maximum compatibility with DevOps tools like Kubernetes, Docker Compose, and GitHub Actions.

  • ✓

    Multi-document YAML stream support: files separated by --- (three dashes) are parsed into a JSON array, making it easy to convert Kubernetes multi-document manifests.

  • ✓

    YAML anchors (&anchor) and aliases (*alias) are resolved automatically so you can convert configs that use reference-based deduplication.

  • ✓

    Configurable indentation: 2, 4, or 8 spaces to match your preferred style or tool requirements.

  • ✓

    Sort Keys option: alphabetically reorders all object properties for consistent, diff-friendly output across pipeline runs.

  • ✓

    Quote style options: plain, single-quoted, or double-quoted strings to control YAML string formatting.

  • ✓

    Flow vs block style toggle: switch between inline flow style (key: value) and expanded block style for YAML output.

  • ✓

    Configurable line width: control the wrap point for folded scalar strings in YAML output.

  • ✓

    YAML validator with precise line and column error positions and actionable fix suggestions that point directly to the problematic character.

  • ✓

    YAML formatter/prettifier: cleans up poorly formatted YAML with consistent indentation, proper spacing, and canonical key ordering.

  • ✓

    File upload support: drag-and-drop or click to upload .json, .yaml, and .yml files directly into the input area.

  • ✓

    6 built-in examples covering Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose files, GitHub Actions workflows, multi-document streams, and anchor usage.

  • ✓

    Works entirely in your browser — no data is ever sent to any server. Your YAML and JSON configs stay private.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this YAML converter free?
Yes, DevFlow YAML Converter is completely free with no usage limits. All conversion, validation, and formatting runs directly in your browser — no account required.
Is my YAML data safe?
Your YAML and JSON data is processed entirely in your browser using the yaml JavaScript library. No data is ever transmitted to a server. Your configs stay completely private.
What is YAML?
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization format used extensively in DevOps for configuration files. It was designed to be more readable and forgiving than JSON, supporting comments, multi-document files, and anchor references.
What is the difference between YAML and JSON?
JSON uses strict syntax with brackets and quotes ({"key": "value"}), while YAML relies on indentation and optional quotes. YAML supports comments, anchors/aliases for value reuse, and multi-document streams separated by ---. JSON is faster to parse but less friendly for hand-written configs.
How does auto-detection work?
The tool examines your input and decides whether to parse it as JSON or YAML. If it starts with { or [, it's JSON. If it contains key: value pairs or the --- document separator, it's YAML. You can also force a specific direction with the JSON→YAML or YAML→JSON buttons.
What are YAML anchors and aliases?
YAML anchors (&anchor) let you define a value once and reuse it via aliases (*anchor). For example, &defaults lets you reference *defaults later. The DevFlow YAML Converter automatically resolves all anchors and aliases so your JSON output contains the fully expanded values.
What are multi-document YAML streams?
YAML files can contain multiple documents separated by a line containing just three dashes (---). Kubernetes files often use this format to define multiple resources in one file. The converter parses each document separately and outputs them as a JSON array.
Can I convert Kubernetes YAML to JSON?
Yes. Paste any Kubernetes manifest in YAML format — Deployment, Service, ConfigMap, etc. — and the converter outputs valid JSON. Multi-document Kubernetes files with --- separators are automatically handled, producing a JSON array.
Can I convert Docker Compose files?
Yes. The DevFlow YAML Converter handles all standard Docker Compose YAML features including version keys, service definitions, port mappings, volume mounts, environment variables, and networks. Multi-document Compose files are also supported.
How does YAML validation work?
The validator runs a full parse of your YAML input using the yaml library, catching syntax errors like incorrect indentation, malformed mappings, and invalid list syntax. Errors include the exact line and column number so you can fix issues quickly.
Can I upload .yaml or .yml files?
Yes. Click the upload icon in the input panel header to select a .yaml, .yml, or .json file from your computer. You can also drag and drop files directly onto the input area. The file contents are loaded for conversion.
Does it work offline?
Yes. All conversion, validation, and formatting logic runs entirely in the browser as pure JavaScript bundled with the page. Once the page has loaded, the YAML Converter works without an internet connection — no network requests are made.

Related Developer Tools

  • JSON FormatterPrettify, minify, and validate JSON data instantly.
  • Text Diff CheckerCompare two text blocks and highlight exactly what changed.
  • Base64 Encode/DecodeEncode and decode Base64 strings, files, and data URIs instantly.
  • HTML FormatterFormat, minify, and validate HTML with attribute sorting and template support.
  • JSON to TypeScript & Schema GeneratorGenerate TypeScript interfaces, Zod schemas, and Valibot schemas from JSON.