YAML to JSON - free online tool

How to use the YAML to JSON

1. Paste your YAML document into the left panel.

2. The converted JSON output appears instantly on the right — click Copy to save it.

3. Need the reverse? Use the JSON to YAML converter.

What is it?

YAML and JSON are both data serialization formats but serve different use cases. YAML is human-friendly — it uses indentation for structure, supports comments, and is commonly used in config files (Docker Compose, Kubernetes manifests, GitHub Actions, Ansible). JSON is more widely used in APIs and JavaScript ecosystems.

Converting YAML to JSON is a daily task for developers working across different tools. For example, you might receive a Kubernetes config in YAML but need JSON for a REST API call. This tool handles all YAML types including strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, and nested objects.

Example

YAML Input

name: Alice
age: 30
active: true
roles:
  - admin
  - editor

↓

JSON Output

{
  "name": "Alice",
  "age": 30,
  "active": true,
  "roles": ["admin", "editor"]
}

YAML comments (#) are stripped during conversion — JSON has no comment syntax.

Benefits

Convert Kubernetes and Docker Compose YAML to JSON for programmatic access

Many Kubernetes clients and tooling scripts accept JSON — convert YAML manifests to work with JSON-based workflows.

Use YAML-configured data in JavaScript or Python applications

YAML is human-friendly for writing; JSON is more reliable for programmatic access and object deserialization.

Transform Ansible playbooks and Helm values to JSON for inspection

Convert DevOps YAML to JSON to diff, sort, extract keys, and query using JSON-specific tools.

Migrate YAML config files to JSON for tools that require it

Some tools and platforms only accept JSON input — convert without rewriting the configuration from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

Does YAML support all JSON data types?

Yes — YAML is a superset of JSON. All valid JSON is valid YAML. YAML additionally supports comments (# ...), multi-line strings, anchors (&), and aliases (*) which JSON does not.

Why does my YAML conversion lose comments?

JSON has no concept of comments, so when converting YAML → JSON, all comments are stripped. This is expected behaviour — comments are metadata for humans, not data.

What is the difference between YAML and JSON indentation?

JSON uses curly braces {} and square brackets [] for structure. YAML uses consistent indentation (spaces only, no tabs). Mixing tabs and spaces in YAML will cause parse errors.

How do I convert JSON back to YAML?

Use the dedicated JSON to YAML converter tool for the reverse conversion.