YAML ↔ JSON Converter

What is YAML ↔ JSON Converter?

The YAML ↔ JSON Converter is an online tool that converts between YAML and JSON formats in real-time. It allows you to easily convert configuration file formats widely used in DevOps environments such as Docker, Kubernetes, and GitHub Actions.

YAML (YAML Ain’t Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization format characterized by its indent-based, concise syntax. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight format widely used for data exchange between programming languages. Both formats are compatible, and you can convert to the appropriate format depending on the situation.

Use Cases

• Docker Compose Configuration – Convert docker-compose.yml files to JSON for programmatic processing, or convert JSON configurations to YAML for better readability
• Kubernetes Manifests – Convert kubectl JSON output to YAML, or use YAML manifests as JSON API request bodies
• GitHub Actions Workflows – Analyze .github/workflows/*.yml files in JSON, or convert JSON templates to YAML workflows
• CI/CD Pipelines – Convert YAML configurations from Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI to JSON for script processing
• API Development – Convert OpenAPI/Swagger specs between YAML and JSON
• Configuration Migration – Migrate JSON-based configurations to YAML or vice versa
• Data Validation – Check and debug YAML or JSON syntax errors in real-time
• Learning and Understanding – Convert YAML structures to JSON to clearly understand data hierarchy

Key Features

• Bidirectional Conversion – Supports conversion from YAML to JSON and JSON to YAML. Easily switch conversion direction using the toggle buttons at the top.
• Real-time Validation – Detects and displays syntax errors as you type. Valid input shows in green, errors in red.
• DevOps Samples – Provides 5 practical samples including Docker Compose, Kubernetes Deployment/Service/ConfigMap, and GitHub Actions. Load samples with one click to test functionality.
• Syntax Highlighting – Applies colors to keywords, strings, numbers, booleans, and null values for both YAML and JSON. YAML anchors (&), aliases (*), and comments (#) are also highlighted.
• Indentation Options – Choose between 2-space or 4-space indentation to match your team or project coding style.
• Line Numbers – Line numbers are displayed on both input and output sides for easy reference to specific lines.
• File Upload/Download – Directly upload .yaml, .yml, or .json files and download converted results as files.
• Input/Output Swap – Use the “Swap” button to bring output results to input for continuous work.
• Auto-save – Content being edited is automatically saved to the browser and restored when the page is refreshed.
• Clipboard Copy – Copy converted results to clipboard with one click.

How to Use

1. Select Conversion Direction – Choose YAML → JSON or JSON → YAML conversion direction at the top. Clicking a button automatically changes the input/output area labels.
2. Enter Code – Enter or paste YAML or JSON to convert in the left input area. You can also load DevOps examples using the “Samples” button.
3. Check Validation – Check the syntax validity status at the bottom of the input area. Error messages are displayed if there are errors.
4. View Results – View converted results in the right output area. Conversion happens in real-time as you type.
5. Copy or Download – Copy to clipboard with the “Copy” button or save as a file with the “Download” button.

YAML vs JSON Comparison

YAML and JSON are both data serialization formats, but each has its own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages:

• Readability – YAML is indent-based and easier for humans to read and write. JSON can have reduced readability in complex data due to many braces and commas.
• Parsing Speed – JSON has a simpler structure and faster parsing speed. YAML parsing is more complex due to various features like anchors and aliases.
• Comment Support – YAML allows comments with the # symbol. JSON officially does not support comments.
• Data Types – Both support strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, and objects. YAML additionally supports dates, timestamps, and other types.
• Usage Environment – YAML is mainly used for configuration files (Docker, K8s, Ansible, etc.). JSON is widely used for API communication and web application data exchange.

DevOps Sample Details

This tool provides 5 DevOps configuration file samples commonly used in practice:

• Docker Compose – An example docker-compose.yml that defines multi-container applications. Shows configuration of multiple services including web servers and databases.
• Kubernetes Deployment – A K8s Deployment manifest for managing Pod deployment. Includes settings for replica count, container images, and resource limits.
• Kubernetes Service – A K8s Service manifest that defines network access to Pods. Configures service types like LoadBalancer and ClusterIP.
• Kubernetes ConfigMap – An example K8s ConfigMap for storing application settings. Used to inject environment variables or configuration files into Pods.
• GitHub Actions – A GitHub Actions configuration that defines CI/CD workflows. Shows a typical workflow including build, test, and deploy stages.

Tips

• Multi-document – When YAML documents are separated with —, each document is converted as an element of a JSON array.
• Anchors and Aliases – YAML anchors (&) and aliases (*) are replaced with referenced values during JSON conversion.
• Date Formats – YAML dates (2024-01-15) are converted to strings in JSON. Additional processing may be needed if required.
• Large Files – Files with thousands of lines can be processed, but very large files may affect browser performance.
• Indentation Consistency – Mixing tabs and spaces in YAML causes errors. This tool uses space-based indentation.
• Using Auto-save – Auto-saved content is restored even if you accidentally close the page. Conversion direction is also saved.

Frequently Asked Questions