JSON to YAML Converter

Convert JSON data to YAML format with configurable indentation, flow style options, and sorting.

Tested tool guide Tested browser tools Checked August 16, 2026

What JSON to YAML Converter does, with a checked example

JSON to YAML Converter rewrites JSON objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and null values using YAML notation. You can control indentation, choose block or flow presentation, and sort mapping keys. A frequent surprise is that the YAML may omit JSON punctuation such as braces, commas, and quotation marks. Those visual changes are normal when a string or key can be represented safely as a YAML plain scalar; they do not necessarily indicate that information was removed.

Worked example

A concrete input and expected output from the current implementation.

Input

{
  "enabled": true,
  "ports": [80, 443]
}

Expected output

enabled: true
ports:
  - 80
  - 443

With block style, two-space indentation, and sorting disabled, the object becomes a YAML mapping and the JSON array becomes an indented YAML sequence. The boolean and integer values remain the same data types.

How the result is produced

Structure conversion

The converter parses the entered JSON as one complete value. JSON objects become YAML mappings, arrays become sequences, and primitive values become YAML scalars. Nested structures retain their parent-child relationships through indentation or flow delimiters. Input must have valid JSON structure, including double-quoted property names and correctly paired braces and brackets.

Output controls

Indentation determines how deeply nested block-style mappings and sequences are spaced. Flow style represents collections with braces or brackets instead of spreading every member across indented lines. Sorting changes the displayed order of mapping keys. These controls alter the YAML presentation, but they do not add fields or change the intended hierarchy of the converted JSON value.

Good uses

Turn a copied JSON API response into a readable YAML fixture for documentation or testing.
Convert a JSON configuration object before placing equivalent data in a YAML-based configuration file.
Reformat nested JSON as block-style YAML to inspect arrays and object relationships without braces and commas.

Limits and checks

The converter changes syntax, not meaning or validity for a particular application. A valid YAML result may still contain unsupported fields or values for the program that will consume it.
JSON cannot carry YAML comments, anchors, aliases, tags, or document directives, so conversion cannot reconstruct any of those YAML-specific features.
Key sorting changes textual order. Do not treat that order as evidence of priority or execution sequence unless the destination format separately defines order-sensitive behavior.

Common questions

What is the difference between block style and flow style?

Block style places mapping entries and sequence items on separate lines, using indentation and hyphens to show nesting. Flow style uses braces for mappings and brackets for sequences, closer to JSON's compact appearance. Both can represent the same JSON-compatible data. Indentation mainly affects the readability and nesting of block-style output.

Can I paste JSON with comments, trailing commas, or single-quoted strings?

No, those forms are not valid JSON as defined by RFC 8259. Remove comments and trailing commas, and change string delimiters to double quotes before converting. Inputs accepted by JavaScript object notation extensions, JSON5, or a programming-language parser should not be assumed to work as JSON here.

References and verification

The example and behavioral notes were checked against the browser implementation. Standards and primary references below define the relevant format, formula, or platform behavior.