JSON to YAML Converter
Convert JSON to YAML instantly with configurable indent, line width, and key sorting. 100% client-side — nothing uploaded.
Updated
JSON to YAML Converter
Convert JSON to YAML instantly in your browser. Tune indent, line width and key sorting; download .yaml or copy with a click. Zero upload, everything runs client-side.
Conversion Options
JSON Input
YAML Output
About JSON to YAML conversion
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-friendly data serialization format commonly used for config files, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose and Ansible playbooks. Because YAML is a superset of JSON, every valid JSON document can be expressed in YAML — usually in a more compact, readable form.
This converter runs entirely in your browser using js-yaml. Nothing is uploaded. Adjust indent, line width and key sorting to match your target style, then copy the result or download it as a .yaml file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JSON to YAML Converter?
The JSON to YAML Converter is a free online tool that convert json to yaml instantly with configurable indent, line width, and key sorting. 100% client-side — nothing uploaded.. It runs entirely in your browser with no installation or sign-up needed.
Is my JSON uploaded?
No — conversion runs entirely in your browser using js-yaml. Safe for secrets, configs, and internal API payloads.
Why convert JSON to YAML?
YAML is standard for Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Ansible, and CircleCI. It supports comments and a more readable indentation-based layout.
What do indent and line width do?
Indent sets nesting spaces (2 is most common, 4 for some Python/Ansible styles). Line width controls when long strings fold — 80/120 to match editor rulers, or unlimited.
Is the JSON to YAML Converter free to use?
Yes, the JSON to YAML Converter is 100% free with no registration, no hidden fees, and no usage limits. All processing happens locally in your browser, ensuring complete privacy.
Is my data safe with this tool?
Absolutely. The JSON to YAML Converter processes everything client-side in your browser. No data is uploaded to or stored on any server. Your content remains private on your device at all times.
Does the JSON to YAML Converter work on mobile devices?
Yes, the JSON to YAML Converter is fully responsive and works on smartphones and tablets. You can use it on any device with a modern web browser -- no app download required.
Do I need to create an account to use this tool?
No account or registration is needed. Simply open the JSON to YAML Converter in your browser and start using it immediately. There are no sign-up walls or usage restrictions.
How do I use the JSON to YAML Converter?
Simply enter your input in the provided field, adjust any settings to your preference, and the tool will process it instantly. You can then copy the result to your clipboard or download it.
Which browsers are supported?
The JSON to YAML Converter works in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. For the best experience, use the latest version of your preferred browser.
Is converting JSON to YAML lossless, and can I convert it back?
Converting JSON to YAML is fully lossless because YAML is a superset of JSON: every object, array, string, number, boolean, and null has an exact YAML equivalent, so no data or structure is dropped. Going the other way is not always reversible, though. Once you hand-edit the YAML you may add comments, anchors, or richer scalar types that have no JSON counterpart, and those are discarded if you convert back. For that reason, treat the YAML as your source of truth after you start editing it rather than round-tripping repeatedly. This tool only handles the JSON-to-YAML direction, re-expressing your exact data structure with no changes to values. Paste your JSON above and the equivalent YAML appears instantly, ready to copy or download as a .yaml file.
Why does the converter write out repeated structures instead of using YAML anchors?
YAML supports anchors and aliases (&anchor and *alias) that let you define a block once and reference it elsewhere, which can shrink files with repeated data. This converter intentionally disables that feature, so any structure that appears multiple times is written out in full each time. The reason is portability and predictability: not every YAML parser or tool resolves references the same way, and inlined output is guaranteed to be accepted everywhere and easy to read at a glance. It also means the YAML maps one-to-one onto your original JSON, which had no concept of references to begin with. If you later want to deduplicate by hand for a specific tool, you can add anchors yourself. Paste your JSON above to get clean, fully-expanded YAML that any parser will accept.
What does sorting keys alphabetically do and when should I use it?
By default the converter preserves the original key order from your JSON, so the YAML mirrors the document you pasted. Switching on Sort keys instead orders every key alphabetically at each nesting level, producing deterministic output: the same input always yields the exact same byte-for-byte result. That is genuinely useful when you want clean diffs between two configs, since reordered-but-identical files no longer show spurious changes in version control, and it keeps committed files tidy and predictable. The trade-off is that meaningful ordering, like putting name and version at the top of a manifest, gets shuffled, so leave sorting off when human readability of a specific layout matters more than consistency. Toggle the Sort keys button above to compare both layouts and pick whichever suits your workflow before copying the YAML.
What happens if I paste invalid or malformed JSON?
The converter parses your input with the browser's native JSON parser before producing any YAML, so malformed input never silently generates broken output. If something is wrong, the validity badge flips from Valid to Error and an alert shows the parser's exact message, such as an unexpected token or an unterminated string. When the error includes a position, the tool also estimates the line number so you can jump straight to the stray comma, missing brace, or unquoted key instead of scanning the whole document. Common culprits are trailing commas, single quotes instead of double quotes, and comments, none of which strict JSON allows. Fix the highlighted spot and the YAML regenerates instantly as soon as the input becomes valid. Paste your JSON above and use the live error message to pinpoint and clean up any syntax problems quickly.
Should I use 2 or 4 spaces of indentation for my YAML?
Both are valid YAML; the right choice depends on the tool that will read the file. Two spaces is the most common convention and matches what Kubernetes manifests and Docker Compose files typically use, so it is the safest default for those ecosystems. Four spaces is favored in some Python-adjacent and Ansible style guides, where the wider indent makes deeply nested structures easier to scan. What matters most is consistency within a project, since mixing widths in a single file can confuse both humans and stricter parsers. This converter lets you switch between 2 and 4 spaces and regenerates the output instantly, so you can preview each style against your real data. Pick the indent that matches your target tool's convention above, then copy or download the YAML when it looks right.
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About the JSON to YAML Converter
The JSON to YAML Converter turns any valid JSON document into clean, readable YAML in real time. Paste your JSON on the left and the equivalent YAML appears instantly on the right, ready to copy or download as a .yaml file. It's built for developers and DevOps engineers who live in config files — anyone wiring up a Kubernetes manifest, a Docker Compose stack, a GitHub Actions workflow, or an Ansible playbook from data that started life as JSON.
The conversion runs entirely in your browser using the js-yaml library. Nothing you paste is uploaded or stored, which makes it safe for the kind of content these formats usually hold: API payloads, environment configs, and files with embedded tokens or secrets. There's no sign-up, no usage cap, and no software to install.
What the converter produces
YAML (a recursive acronym for "YAML Ain't Markup Language") is a human-friendly data serialization format. Because YAML is a superset of JSON, every valid JSON document has an exact YAML equivalent — the converter simply re-expresses the same data structure in YAML's indentation-based layout. Objects become nested key-value blocks, arrays become dash-prefixed lists, and JSON's true, false, and null map to their native YAML scalars.
As you type, the tool reports a few useful stats: input size in bytes, the number of output lines, output size in bytes, and a live validity badge. If the JSON is malformed, it shows the parser's error message and the approximate line number so you can find the stray comma or missing brace quickly, rather than hunting blind.
Tuning the output to your style
Three options let you match the YAML to your project's conventions:
- Indent — choose 2 or 4 spaces per nesting level. Two spaces is the most common default and matches Kubernetes and Docker Compose conventions; four is favored in some Python and Ansible style guides.
- Line width — set where long strings fold onto a new line: 80 or 120 columns to match a common editor ruler, or unlimited to keep every value on a single line. Folding only affects long scalar strings, not the structure.
- Sort keys — preserve the original key order from your JSON, or sort every key alphabetically. Alphabetical sorting produces deterministic output, which is handy for diffing two configs or keeping version-controlled files tidy.
Reference-style anchors are disabled, so repeated structures are written out in full rather than as &anchor/*alias references — the result is portable YAML that any parser will accept.
Why convert JSON to YAML
JSON is the lingua franca of APIs and JavaScript, but it has no comments and gets noisy fast with all its braces and quotes. YAML is the default configuration language across much of the modern toolchain — Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI, and Ansible all read YAML — and it supports inline comments plus a layout that's easier to scan and hand-edit.
Common reasons to make the switch:
- Seeding a config file from a JSON sample in documentation or an API response.
- Migrating an existing JSON config to a tool that expects YAML.
- Reviewing a payload in a more readable form before committing it.
- Generating manifests from data your application already produces as JSON.
A quick note on the round trip: converting JSON to YAML is lossless because YAML can represent everything JSON can. Going the other way is not always true, since YAML allows comments and richer types that have no JSON equivalent — so keep your YAML as the source of truth once you've added comments to it.
Paste your JSON above, pick your indent, line width, and sort order, then copy or download the YAML when it looks right.