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JSON to YAML

Convert JSON to YAML — and YAML back to JSON.

YAMLCSVXML
Live
Input

What this tool does

Convert JSON to YAML — and YAML back to JSON — without leaving your browser. The conversion is fully round-trippable (types and structure are preserved), so you can paste a YAML config and get strict, copy-pastable JSON, or pretty a JSON payload into something a human can read in a pull-request diff.

How to use it

Paste JSON (or load the example), pick an indent (2 or 4 spaces), and read the YAML on the right. Toggle YAML → JSON instead to reverse the direction.

Input: {"service":"devsmiths","version":2,"endpoints":[{"path":"/json/formatter","method":"GET"},{"path":"/json/repair","method":"POST"}],"public":true}

Output (YAML):

service: devsmiths
version: 2
endpoints:
  - path: /json/formatter
    method: GET
  - path: /json/repair
    method: POST
public: true

Limits and edge cases

  • YAML conversion is round-trippable, but YAML supports concepts (anchors, references, tags) that JSON doesn’t. Going YAML → JSON resolves anchors and drops tags.
  • For invalid JSON input, run the JSON Repair tool first; the converter only accepts strict RFC 8259 JSON.
  • Numbers beyond ±2^53 lose precision in any JavaScript-based parser — both directions.
  • Background reading: JSON vs YAML vs XML covers when each format is the right pick.

Frequently asked questions

Is my data sent to a server?
No. Every conversion runs in your browser — the page never uploads your JSON or its output.
Can I go YAML → JSON as well?
Yes — open /json/convert/yaml and toggle the 'YAML → JSON instead' option. CSV and XML are one-way for now (JSON → CSV / JSON → XML); the architecture supports reverse modes and they're on the roadmap.
How are nested objects handled in CSV?
By default nested keys are flattened with dots (e.g. user.address.city). Switch to bracket notation (user[address][city]) or 'stringify' to keep the nested value as a JSON-encoded cell. Arrays are JSON-stringified into a single cell — CSV's flat row-and-column model can't faithfully represent arbitrary nesting.
Does the XML output follow a schema?
No, it's a direct, conventional mapping: each object key becomes an element, arrays repeat the parent element, and primitive values become escaped text content. There's no attribute-vs-element heuristic — everything is an element. If you need attribute-style XML, a roadmap option is on the way.
Why does the CSV exporter complain about my input?
CSV needs an array (or single object). A bare string/number/boolean as the root has no row-and-column structure. Wrap it in an array of objects, or use the YAML / XML variant which handles arbitrary JSON.
Can the converter handle TSV, MessagePack, or TOML?
Not yet. The dispatch layer supports new targets — they're on the roadmap. Open an issue if you have a use-case.