JSON to YAML Converter

Transform JSON data into YAML format with customizable indentation, block or flow style output, key sorting, and circular reference detection. Completely free with unlimited conversions.

Your Privacy is Protected

All conversions happen in your browser. Your data never leaves your device and is never uploaded to our servers.

100% Free - No Limits

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Style:

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JSON Input

YAML Output

Flexible Formatting

Choose between block style or flow style YAML output with customizable indentation.

Sort Keys

Automatically sort object keys alphabetically for consistent YAML output.

Smart Detection

Automatically detects circular references and provides clear error messages.

Real-time Conversion

Instant conversion with detailed statistics about your YAML output.

Key Features

Customizable Indentation

Choose 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs for YAML formatting

Block & Flow Styles

Output in readable block style or compact flow style

Alphabetical Sorting

Optional key sorting for consistent output

Circular Reference Detection

Prevents errors by detecting circular structures

Smart String Escaping

Automatic quoting and escaping for special characters

Copy & Download

Quick copy to clipboard or download as .yaml file

Quick Tips

•Block Style: Human-readable format ideal for config files

•Flow Style: Compact JSON-like format, good for inline data

•Sort Keys: Enable for version control friendly output

•Arrays: Automatically formatted with dash (-) notation

YAML Output Styles

Block Style (Default)

Easy to read, ideal for configuration files:

person:
  name: John Doe
  age: 30
  hobbies:
    - reading
    - hiking

• Human-friendly format
• Best for config files
• Clear hierarchy

Flow Style

Compact format, similar to JSON:

person: {name: John Doe, age: 30, hobbies: [reading, hiking]}

• Compact single-line
• JSON-like syntax
• Space-efficient

Professional JSON to YAML Conversion

The JSON to YAML Converter transforms JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data into YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) format, making it ideal for configuration files, Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD pipelines, and human-readable data storage. This free online converter offers customizable indentation (2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs), supports both block and flow style output, provides alphabetical key sorting, detects circular references, and generates clean, valid YAML ready for immediate use.

Why Convert JSON to YAML?

Human-Readable Config

YAML's clean syntax without brackets and quotes makes it more readable than JSON. Perfect for configuration files that developers and DevOps engineers edit frequently.

DevOps Standard

Kubernetes, Docker Compose, Ansible, and CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) all use YAML for configuration. Convert JSON configs to YAML for these platforms.

Comment Support

YAML supports comments while JSON doesn't. Convert to YAML when you need to add documentation and explanations directly in config files.

Multi-line Strings

YAML handles multi-line strings elegantly without escape characters. Better for storing documentation, scripts, and long text values.

Key Features

✓Customizable Indentation: Choose between 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs to match your project's style guide.
✓Block Style Output: Human-readable format with proper indentation and line breaks, ideal for configuration files.
✓Flow Style Output: Compact JSON-like format using brackets and braces for inline data structures.
✓Sort Keys Alphabetically: Optional alphabetical sorting of object keys for version control friendly output.
✓Circular Reference Detection: Automatically detects and warns about circular references that can't be converted to YAML.
✓Smart String Escaping: Automatically quotes strings that need escaping and preserves special characters correctly.
✓Array Formatting: Arrays are converted to YAML list format with dash (-) notation automatically.
✓Real-time Conversion: Instant conversion with detailed statistics showing sizes and line counts.
✓Copy & Download: Quick copy to clipboard or download as .yaml/.yml file ready for use.
✓No File Size Limits: Convert JSON files of any size - completely free with no restrictions or premium tiers.

Common Use Cases

Kubernetes Configuration: Convert JSON Kubernetes manifests to YAML for easier editing and better readability in GitOps workflows.

Docker Compose Files: Transform JSON service definitions to YAML docker-compose.yml format for container orchestration.

CI/CD Pipeline Config: Convert JSON build configurations to YAML for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI, or Jenkins pipelines.

Ansible Playbooks: Transform JSON task definitions to YAML playbook format for infrastructure automation and configuration management.

Application Config Files: Convert JSON application settings to YAML for frameworks that prefer YAML configuration (Rails, Symfony, Spring Boot).

API Response to Config: Transform JSON API responses into YAML configuration files for documentation or testing purposes.

How to Use the JSON to YAML Converter

1.Paste your JSON data into the input area. The tool validates JSON syntax and displays clear error messages if invalid.
2.Configure output preferences: select indentation size (2/4 spaces or tabs), choose style (block or flow), and optionally enable key sorting.
3.Click "Convert to YAML" to transform your JSON. The conversion happens instantly in your browser with no server upload.
4.Review the YAML output and copy to clipboard or download as a .yaml file for use in your project.

YAML Output Styles Explained

Block Style (Recommended)

Block style uses indentation and line breaks to create a hierarchical structure. This is the standard for configuration files.

JSON Input:

{
  "database": {
    "host": "localhost",
    "port": 5432
  }
}

YAML Output (Block):

database:
  host: localhost
  port: 5432

Best for: Config files, manifests, human-edited documents

Flow Style (Compact)

Flow style uses JSON-like syntax with brackets and braces. More compact but less readable.

YAML Output (Flow):

database: {host: localhost, port: 5432}

Best for: Inline data, single-line values, space-constrained scenarios

Indentation Options

2 Spaces (Default): Most common standard, used by YAML spec examples and most DevOps tools. Recommended for maximum compatibility.

4 Spaces: Provides more visual distinction between nesting levels. Preferred by some Python and Ruby projects.

Tabs: Some editors prefer tabs for indentation. Note that YAML spec recommends spaces over tabs for maximum compatibility.

Advanced Features

Circular Reference Detection

The converter automatically detects circular references in your JSON data and displays a clear error message. YAML cannot represent circular structures, so you'll need to break the circular reference before conversion.

// This will be detected and prevented
const obj = { name: "test" };
obj.self = obj; // Circular reference

Smart String Quoting

The converter intelligently determines when strings need quoting. Strings with special characters, leading/trailing spaces, or YAML reserved words are automatically quoted.

# Quoted automatically
message: "Hello: World"  # Contains colon
flag: "true"             # Reserved word
count: "123"             # Looks like number

Key Sorting

Enable "Sort Keys" to alphabetically sort all object keys. This creates consistent output regardless of JSON key order, making it perfect for version control and comparing configs across environments.

Data Type Conversion

Strings: JSON strings → YAML strings. Automatically quoted when necessary.

Numbers: JSON numbers → YAML numbers. Integers and floats preserved exactly.

Booleans: JSON true/false → YAML true/false.

Null: JSON null → YAML null.

Arrays: JSON arrays → YAML sequences with dash (-) notation.

Objects: JSON objects → YAML mappings with key: value pairs.

Best Practices

Validate JSON First: Ensure your JSON is valid before conversion. Use a JSON validator if you encounter parsing errors.

Choose Block Style: Use block style for configuration files that humans will read and edit. Reserve flow style for generated data.

Enable Key Sorting: Turn on key sorting for configs stored in version control to minimize meaningless diffs.

Match Project Standards: Use the indentation size that matches your project's existing YAML files for consistency.

Test Output: Validate the generated YAML with your target system before deploying to production environments.

Privacy and Security

All JSON to YAML conversion happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your data never leaves your device, never touches our servers, and is never stored or logged anywhere. This ensures complete privacy and security for sensitive configuration files, API keys, credentials, or proprietary data structures.

Why This Tool is 100% Free

JSON to YAML conversion is a fundamental DevOps operation that developers and engineers use daily. We believe this essential tool should be completely free with no artificial limitations. There are no file size limits, no conversion quotas, no premium features, and no feature restrictions - just a fast, reliable converter that works for everyone. Our mission is to make developer tools accessible to all.

Technical Implementation

The converter uses a custom YAML generator that follows the YAML 1.2 specification. It implements intelligent type detection, proper string escaping according to YAML rules, recursive object traversal with circular reference protection, and configurable output formatting. All processing happens client-side in your browser with zero latency from server communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between block and flow style?

Block style uses indentation and line breaks to show structure (recommended for configs). Flow style uses brackets and braces like JSON for compact inline representation.

How are JSON arrays converted to YAML?

JSON arrays become YAML sequences. In block style, each element starts with a dash (-). In flow style, they use bracket notation [item1, item2].

Can I convert JSON with circular references?

No, YAML cannot represent circular references. The converter detects them and displays an error. You'll need to remove the circular reference before converting.

When should I use key sorting?

Enable key sorting when storing YAML in version control. Alphabetical ordering ensures consistent output regardless of JSON key order, reducing meaningless diffs.

What indentation should I use?

2 spaces is the YAML standard and most widely compatible. Use 4 spaces if your project prefers it. Avoid tabs when possible as they can cause parsing issues.

Is there a file size limit?

No! Unlike other converters, this tool has no file size restrictions. Convert JSON files of any size completely free. All processing happens in your browser.

How are special characters handled?

The converter automatically detects strings that need quoting (special characters, reserved words, numeric-looking strings) and applies proper YAML escaping.

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