What YAML features does this converter support?

This converter supports key-value pairs, nested objects via indentation, arrays with dash notation, quoted and unquoted strings, numbers (integers, floats, hex, octal), booleans (true/false/yes/no/on/off), null values, multi-line strings with literal (|) and folded (>) block scalars, inline flow sequences and mappings, and comments (# notation). It handles the most commonly used subset of the YAML specification.

Why would I convert between JSON and YAML?

Common use cases include converting Kubernetes manifests between formats, transforming API responses (JSON) into configuration files (YAML), converting Docker Compose files to JSON for programmatic processing, migrating between tools that prefer different formats (e.g., Ansible uses YAML, while most REST APIs use JSON), and making JSON data more human-readable by converting to YAML for documentation or review.

Does YAML preserve JSON data types?

Yes, YAML supports all JSON data types: strings, numbers (integers and floats), booleans, null, arrays (sequences), and objects (mappings). YAML also recognizes additional type representations like yes/no for booleans and ~ for null. When converting back from YAML to JSON, these YAML-specific values are mapped to their JSON equivalents (yes becomes true, ~ becomes null, etc.).

JSON/YAML Converter | QuickUtil.dev

Features

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Bidirectional Conversion

Convert JSON to YAML or YAML to JSON with a single click. The tool handles nested objects, arrays, and all standard data types in both directions seamlessly.

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YAML Subset Support

Parses key-value pairs, nested objects, arrays with dash notation, quoted and unquoted strings, numbers, booleans, null, multi-line strings (| and >), flow sequences, and comments.

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Configurable Output

Choose your preferred JSON indentation: 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs. YAML output uses clean 2-space indentation following industry conventions for Kubernetes and Docker Compose files.

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100% Client-Side

All conversion happens entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server. Your sensitive configuration files, credentials, and API responses stay on your machine.

About JSON and YAML Conversion

JSON and YAML are two of the most popular data serialization formats in modern software development. JSON is the standard for API communication, while YAML is the preferred format for configuration files in tools like Kubernetes, Docker Compose, Ansible, and GitHub Actions. Being able to convert between these formats quickly is a common need for developers and DevOps engineers.

When to Use JSON vs YAML

JSON is ideal for API requests and responses, programmatic data interchange, and any context where strict parsing and wide language support are required. YAML is better suited for configuration files, infrastructure-as-code definitions, and any context where human readability and the ability to add comments are important. Many tools accept both formats -- for example, Kubernetes manifests can be written in either JSON or YAML.

How This Tool Works

For JSON to YAML conversion, the tool parses your JSON using the browser's native JSON parser, then generates clean YAML output with proper indentation, appropriate string quoting, and dash-prefixed arrays. For YAML to JSON conversion, the tool uses a custom YAML parser that handles indentation-based nesting, array items, multi-line strings, flow sequences, comments, and all standard scalar types. The output is formatted JSON with your chosen indentation level.

Common Use Cases

Kubernetes: Convert between JSON and YAML representations of Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, and other Kubernetes resources.
Docker Compose: Convert docker-compose.yml to JSON for programmatic processing or validation with JSON Schema.
CI/CD Pipelines: Convert GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or CircleCI YAML configurations to JSON for analysis or transformation.
API Development: Convert JSON API responses to YAML for documentation, or convert YAML fixtures to JSON for testing.
Configuration Management: Convert Ansible playbooks, Helm chart values, or application config files between formats as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between JSON and YAML? ▼

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) are both data serialization formats, but they have different design philosophies. JSON uses curly braces for objects, square brackets for arrays, and requires double quotes around all keys and string values. It has a strict, unambiguous syntax that makes it ideal for machine-to-machine communication. YAML uses indentation to represent nesting, dashes for array items, and colons for key-value pairs. It supports comments (with #), multi-line strings, and has a more relaxed string quoting policy, making it more human-readable and easier to write by hand. Both formats can represent the same data structures: objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and null.

How do I convert JSON to YAML? ▼

Paste your JSON into the input area on the left and click the "JSON to YAML" button. The tool parses the JSON using the browser's native parser, then generates clean YAML with 2-space indentation. Objects become indented key-value pairs, arrays use dash notation, and strings are quoted only when necessary to avoid ambiguity. The YAML output follows conventions used by Kubernetes, Docker Compose, and other popular tools.

How do I convert YAML to JSON? ▼

Paste your YAML into the input area and click the "YAML to JSON" button. The tool parses the YAML syntax -- including indentation-based nesting, dash-prefixed arrays, multi-line strings with | and > notation, flow sequences like [a, b, c], inline mappings, and comments (which are stripped during conversion). You can choose your preferred JSON indentation from the dropdown: 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs.

What YAML features are supported? ▼

This converter supports the most commonly used subset of YAML: key-value mappings, nested objects via indentation, sequences (arrays) with dash notation, quoted and unquoted strings, integers, floats, hex and octal numbers, booleans (true/false, yes/no, on/off), null (null, ~, or empty value), literal block scalars (|) that preserve newlines, folded block scalars (>) that join lines with spaces, inline flow sequences ([a, b, c]) and flow mappings ({a: b}), and comments with the # character. Advanced YAML features like anchors (&), aliases (*), tags (!!), and merge keys (<<) are not currently supported.

Is my data safe when using this converter? ▼

Absolutely. This tool runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No data is transmitted to any server at any point during the conversion process. Your JSON and YAML content -- including sensitive configuration data, API keys, database credentials, or any other information -- never leaves your machine. You can verify this by opening your browser's developer tools and monitoring the Network tab while using the converter. You will see that no requests are made.

Why would I need to convert between JSON and YAML? ▼

There are many practical reasons to convert between these formats. Kubernetes and Helm accept both JSON and YAML, so you might convert between them depending on your workflow. Docker Compose files are YAML, but you might need JSON for programmatic manipulation. CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) use YAML, but testing tools often work with JSON fixtures. API responses come in JSON, but you might want YAML for documentation readability. Configuration management tools like Ansible use YAML extensively, but integrating with JSON-based APIs requires conversion. This tool makes these conversions instant and error-free.

Does YAML preserve all JSON data types? ▼

Yes. YAML is a superset of JSON, meaning every valid JSON document is also valid YAML. All JSON data types have direct YAML equivalents: JSON objects become YAML mappings, JSON arrays become YAML sequences, and strings, numbers, booleans, and null map directly. YAML also supports additional representations -- for example, yes/no and on/off are treated as booleans, and ~ is treated as null. When converting from YAML to JSON, these YAML-specific values are mapped to their standard JSON equivalents (true/false, null). The only information lost when converting YAML to JSON is comments, since JSON does not support comments.

JSON to YAML / YAML to JSON Converter