YAML to XML - free online tool

How to use the YAML to XML

1. Paste your YAML data into the left panel.

2. Optionally set a custom root element tag name.

3. The equivalent XML structure appears on the right — click Copy to use it.

What is it?

Converting YAML to XML is needed when integrating with legacy systems, SOAP web services, or platforms that consume XML but your source data is in YAML format. YAML's indentation-based nesting maps directly to XML's hierarchical element structure.

YAML arrays are converted to repeated <item> elements, and YAML objects become nested XML elements. Key names are sanitized to ensure they are valid XML tag names. This tool is ideal for DevOps workflows where Kubernetes/Docker YAML configs need to be cross-referenced with XML-based deployment systems.

Example

YAML Input

server:
  host: localhost
  port: 8080
features:
  - auth
  - logging

↓

XML Output

<root>
  <server>
    <host>localhost</host>
    <port>8080</port>
  </server>
  <features>
    <item>auth</item>
    <item>logging</item>
  </features>
</root>

YAML arrays become repeated <item> elements. Useful for converting CI/CD config files to XML-based pipelines.

Benefits

Convert YAML configs to XML for legacy enterprise system ingestion

Older ETL platforms, integration brokers, and enterprise middleware still require XML — convert YAML without an intermediate step.

Transform YAML-defined data models to XML for schema tools

Convert human-friendly YAML definitions to XML format for DTD, XSD, and XML schema validation tools.

Bridge modern YAML-based tooling with XML-based orchestration

Convert Kubernetes YAML or Ansible playbooks to XML for integration with XML-based workflow orchestration platforms.

Prepare YAML-structured content for XSLT processing pipelines

XML enables XSLT document transformation; convert YAML to XML to access XSLT-based formatting and publishing workflows.

Frequently asked questions

How are YAML arrays represented in XML?

YAML arrays (list items prefixed with -) are converted to repeated <item> elements inside the parent element. For example, hobbies: [reading, coding] becomes <hobbies><item>reading</item><item>coding</item></hobbies>.

What happens to YAML anchors and aliases?

The YAML parser resolves anchors (&) and aliases (*) before conversion, so the output XML contains the fully expanded values without any reference notation.

Can I customise the array element tag name?

Currently array items use <item> as the element name. For more control over tag names, consider using a programmatic XSLT transform or a dedicated data mapping tool.