How is this different from the JSON to YAML Converter under JSON Tools?

Nothing about the conversion itself, both use the exact same underlying logic. This page exists as a YAML-first entry point for people who arrived looking for YAML tools specifically, so it lives here instead of only under JSON Tools.

Does the output preserve my JSON's key order?

Yes. Object keys are written to YAML in the same order JavaScript's own object enumeration returns them, which for JSON-derived objects means the order they appeared in the source. Nothing is reordered or sorted.

Why are some string values quoted in the output and others aren't?

A string is quoted only when leaving it bare would change its meaning: values that look like numbers, booleans, or YAML reserved words (`yes`, `null`, and similar), values with leading or trailing whitespace, and values containing YAML-significant characters like `:` or `#`. Everything else is written unquoted, since that's the more idiomatic, readable form.

Can I convert a JSON array at the top level, not just an object?

Yes, top-level arrays convert to a YAML sequence of dashed items, and top-level scalars (a bare string, number, or boolean) convert to a single YAML scalar line. The converter isn't limited to objects.

JSON to YAML - Free Online Converter

Overview

Introduction

JSON is what most APIs speak, but plenty of config formats, Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions, expect YAML instead. This tool converts a JSON document into readable, properly quoted YAML so you can drop API output or a JSON fixture straight into a YAML-based config.

It targets the same data model both formats share: objects and arrays convert directly into YAML mappings and sequences, with just enough quoting added to keep every string's meaning intact.

What Is JSON to YAML Converter?

A JSON-to-YAML converter parses JSON text and re-serializes the resulting value using YAML's block-style syntax, indentation instead of braces, dashes instead of comma-separated arrays.

The conversion is data-preserving: every JSON value has a direct, unambiguous YAML equivalent, so nothing about the underlying data changes, only its textual representation.

How JSON to YAML Converter Works

Input is parsed with `JSON.parse()`, then walked recursively to produce YAML, quoting each string only when leaving it bare would change how a YAML parser reads it back.

Because it works directly on the parsed JSON value rather than the original text, formatting quirks in your input, extra whitespace, key order variations, don't affect the output beyond preserving the original key order.

When To Use JSON to YAML Converter

Use it when you have JSON from an API response or a script and need to paste it into a YAML-based config file, a CI workflow, a Helm values file, a docker-compose.yml.

It's also handy for previewing how a JSON payload would look expressed the more readable way, before deciding whether to store it as YAML long-term.

Often used alongside YAML to JSON Converter, YAML Formatter & Prettifier and YAML Validator.

Features

Advantages

Runs entirely client-side.
Preserves the source JSON's key order exactly.
Only quotes strings when necessary, producing idiomatic, readable YAML rather than over-quoted output.
Handles nested objects, arrays of objects, and top-level arrays or scalars.

Limitations

JSON has no comments to begin with, so there's nothing to add on the YAML side either.
Numbers beyond JavaScript's safe integer range or IEEE 754 precision follow the same limits `JSON.parse()` has everywhere else.
Output always uses block style; use the YAML Minifier afterward if you need a compact flow-style result instead.

Examples

Simple object

Input

{"name":"api","replicas":3,"env":["prod","staging"]}

Output

name: api
replicas: 3
env:
  - prod
  - staging

Object keys become mapping keys, and the array becomes a dashed sequence.

Strings that need quoting

Input

{"flag":"yes","zip":"02139"}

Output

flag: "yes"
zip: "02139"

Both values are quoted so they stay strings: "yes" would otherwise parse as a YAML boolean, and "02139" would otherwise parse as a number, dropping its leading zero.

Best Practices & Notes

Best Practices

Run the JSON through a validator first if you're not sure it's well-formed.
Review quoted values in the output, they're usually quoted for a specific, meaningful reason.
Use the YAML Formatter afterward if you want a specific indent width other than the default.

Developer Notes

This reuses the same hand-written, dependency-free JSON-to-YAML serializer that powers the JSON category's own JSON to YAML Converter: `JSON.parse()` followed by a recursive walk that emits block-style YAML, quoting strings only when a bare form would be misread as a different type. Both pages call the identical function; this one is simply a second, YAML-branded entry point to it.

JSON to YAML Converter Use Cases

Converting an API response into a Kubernetes ConfigMap value
Turning a JSON fixture into a Helm values.yaml file
Preparing JSON data for a GitHub Actions workflow input
Making a JSON payload easier to read before pasting it into documentation

Common Mistakes

Assuming an unquoted-looking string in the output means it will round-trip as a string; check that it isn't a value like `true` or `123` that never needed quoting to begin with.
Converting to YAML and then hand-editing without re-validating, which can silently break indentation.

Tips

If the output looks over-quoted, check for characters like `:` or `#` in your string values, both are unquoted-YAML-significant.
Pair this with the YAML Validator after any manual edits to the converted output.

JSON to YAML Converter