The YAML ↔ JSON Converter is a free, client-side tool that converts data between YAML and JSON formats instantly. Whether you're working with Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD pipelines, Docker Compose files, or application configuration, this bidirectional converter handles the translation seamlessly with automatic format detection.
Step-by-Step
Paste your data — Enter either YAML or JSON into the input panel. The tool auto-detects the format.
Review the detection — A badge indicates whether your input was recognized as YAML or JSON.
Click Convert — The output panel instantly shows the converted result in the opposite format.
Toggle direction — Use the swap button to reverse the conversion direction if needed.
Copy the result — Click the clipboard button to copy the output, or download it as a file with the correct extension.
Features
Auto-Detection — The tool automatically identifies whether your input is YAML or JSON, so you never need to select the format manually.
Bidirectional Conversion — Convert YAML to JSON or JSON to YAML with a single click. Swap direction instantly.
Multi-Document YAML — Supports YAML files with multiple documents separated by --- delimiters, converting each to a JSON array element.
Comment Preservation Info — While JSON doesn't support comments, the tool warns you when YAML comments will be lost during conversion.
Syntax Validation — Invalid YAML or JSON input triggers clear error messages with line numbers to help you fix issues quickly.
Pretty Output — JSON output is automatically formatted with 2-space indentation. YAML output uses clean, readable formatting.
Common Use Cases
Kubernetes Development — Convert between YAML manifests and JSON for tools that require a specific format, such as certain API endpoints or policy engines.
CI/CD Pipelines — Translate GitHub Actions YAML workflows to JSON for programmatic manipulation, or convert JSON configs to YAML for readability.
Docker Compose — Convert Docker Compose YAML files to JSON for tools and scripts that consume JSON configuration.
Application Config — Switch between YAML and JSON config files when different environments or frameworks expect different formats.
API Testing — Convert API response JSON into YAML for more readable documentation or test fixtures.
Why Use This Tool
YAML and JSON are the two most common configuration formats in modern development, yet converting between them manually is tedious and error-prone — especially with nested structures, arrays, and special characters. This tool eliminates copy-paste mistakes and formatting issues. It runs entirely in your browser with no server calls, making it safe for sensitive infrastructure configuration data.
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