YAML ↔ JSON Converter

Convert YAML to JSON and back instantly. Validate YAML syntax and pretty-print JSON output.

Free online YAML to JSON converter and JSON to YAML converter. Validates YAML syntax and pretty-prints the output. 100% client-side.

Frequently asked questions

Can YAML represent everything JSON can?

Yes. YAML is a strict superset of JSON since YAML 1.2. Any valid JSON is valid YAML. The reverse is not true, yAML has features (anchors, tags, multi-line strings) that have no direct JSON equivalent.

Why is my Kubernetes YAML breaking after conversion?

Kubernetes YAML often uses anchors (&foo) and aliases (*foo) to deduplicate. When converting to JSON these get resolved/inlined, so the output is larger but semantically identical. If you convert back to YAML, the anchors don't come back automatically.

Which is better for config files?

For human-edited configs (Kubernetes, CI pipelines, Rails), YAML wins on readability. For program-generated output, APIs, or schema-validated data, JSON wins on simplicity. Pick based on the primary writer, human or machine.

All free developer tools