→ 
YAML to JSON Converter (Free AI Tool)
Convert YAML to JSON with automatic anchor resolution and multi-document support. Transform Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose files, and GitHub Actions workflows to JSON format. Client-side processing keeps your configurations private.
Paste code in both editors to see differences
Hint: Paste original code on left, modified code on right, then click Compare to see differences highlighted.
Hint: Paste your code, customize font size and line numbers, then click Export PDF to download formatted code.
Hint: Paste your JWT token to decode and view its header, payload, and signature. The tool validates token structure and format.
Hint: Select conversion type, paste your data, and get instant conversion. Supports JSON, YAML, XML, Excel, PDF, and more.
How It Works
- 1
Paste YAML Configuration with Anchors
Paste your YAML file including Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose files, Ansible playbooks, or GitHub Actions workflows. Supports anchors (&) and aliases (*) for config reuse.
- 2
AI Resolves References and Converts
The tool parses YAML indentation, resolves anchor/alias references by expanding values, and converts to JSON braces. Multi-document YAML (---) becomes JSON array.
- 3
Copy JSON for API Consumption
Receive JSON output ready for REST APIs, JavaScript configuration loading, or programmatic DevOps automation with Node.js or Python.
YAML vs JSON: Configuration Format Comparison
| Feature | YAML | JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Syntax | Indentation-based | Braces and brackets |
| Readability | Human-friendly | Machine-optimized |
| Comments | # comments supported | No native comments |
| Anchors/Aliases | & and * references | Expanded values |
| Use Case | Config files, K8s | APIs, JavaScript |
| Data Types | Rich types (timestamps) | Limited types |
Code Examples
Example 1: Docker Compose Configuration
version: "3.8"
services:
web:
image: nginx:latest
ports:
- "80:80"
environment:
- NODE_ENV=production
db:
image: postgres:14
volumes:
- db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
volumes:
db_data:{
"version": "3.8",
"services": {
"web": {
"image": "nginx:latest",
"ports": ["80:80"],
"environment": ["NODE_ENV=production"]
},
"db": {
"image": "postgres:14",
"volumes": ["db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data"]
}
},
"volumes": {
"db_data": null
}
}Key Changes:
YAML indentation (two spaces) converts to JSON nested braces. YAML lists (- items) become JSON arrays with square brackets. String values remain quoted. The Docker Compose structure is preserved with services as nested objects and ports/environment as arrays. Empty YAML values (db_data:) convert to JSON null. This JSON is ready for programmatic Docker API consumption or configuration validation in Node.js.
Example 2: Kubernetes Deployment with Anchors
defaults: &defaults
replicas: 3
strategy:
type: RollingUpdate
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: web-app
spec:
<<: *defaults
selector:
matchLabels:
app: web{
"defaults": {
"replicas": 3,
"strategy": {"type": "RollingUpdate"}
},
"apiVersion": "apps/v1",
"kind": "Deployment",
"metadata": {"name": "web-app"},
"spec": {
"replicas": 3,
"strategy": {"type": "RollingUpdate"},
"selector": {
"matchLabels": {"app": "web"}
}
}
}Key Changes:
YAML anchors (&defaults) and merge keys (<<: *defaults) are fully resolved in JSON. The alias reference expands to copy all properties from defaults into spec. While JSON loses anchor semantics, the converter produces ready-to-use configuration. Integers (3) remain numbers, nested objects (strategy, metadata) convert to JSON objects. This handles Kubernetes DRY patterns where multiple deployments share base configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
YAML anchors (&ref) and aliases (*ref) are resolved during conversion, with alias references expanded to their full values in JSON. For example, 'defaults: &defaults' followed by '<<: *defaults' becomes a fully expanded JSON object with all properties duplicated. This handles Docker Compose extends and Kubernetes config reuse patterns.
Yes. Multi-document YAML files separated by --- delimiters convert to a JSON array where each YAML document becomes an array element. This is useful for Kubernetes manifests with multiple resources. Single-document YAML converts to a single JSON object.
YAML types are converted to JSON equivalents: strings remain strings, integers/floats become JSON numbers, true/false become booleans, null becomes null. YAML timestamps and custom types convert to strings as JSON lacks native equivalents. The conversion prioritizes compatibility over type fidelity.