---
title: "JSON to YAML Converter - Free Online Tool | CanDoYa"
description: "Free online JSON to YAML converter. Paste JSON and get clean, block-style YAML instantly, with 2 or 4 space indent. Runs entirely in your browser."
url: https://candoya.com/tools/json-to-yaml/
locale: en
type: browser-tool
---

# JSON to YAML Converter

Category: Developer

## How do you convert JSON to YAML?

Paste your JSON into the converter and it re-serialises the same data as block-style YAML: objects become key-value mappings, arrays become dash lists, and nested structures are indented for you. Choose 2 or 4 space indentation, and it runs entirely in your browser so nothing is uploaded.

JSON and YAML describe the same data model (objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans and null), so converting between them is a lossless re-serialisation, not a translation. This tool parses your JSON and re-emits it as clean block-style YAML: braces and brackets give way to indentation, quotes disappear from keys and plain strings, and readability goes up. It is handy when a config file, CI pipeline or Kubernetes manifest wants YAML but your data started life as JSON.

Everything happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your data is never uploaded, logged or sent to a server, so it is safe to convert API responses, secrets or config that contain private values.

## How to use it

1. **Paste your JSON** - Paste or type JSON into the left panel, or load the example to see the format.
2. **Pick the indentation** - Choose 2 or 4 space indent. Invalid JSON is flagged in the status bar with the exact parse error.
3. **Copy the YAML** - The YAML updates live on the right. Copy it or download it as a .yaml file.

## Who it's for

- **DevOps and platform engineers** turning a JSON payload into a YAML config, Kubernetes manifest, GitHub Actions workflow or docker-compose file.
- **Developers** converting an API response or a package.json fragment into readable YAML for docs, fixtures or seed data.
- **Anyone** who prefers YAML's indentation over JSON's braces and wants a clean copy without installing Python, jq or yq.

## Expert note

YAML quietly reinterprets some plain strings: a bare yes becomes a boolean, 07030 could be read as a number, and 2020-01-01 as a date. Because a JSON string is unambiguously text, this converter double-quotes any string value whose plain form a YAML 1.1 parser might mis-read, so a ZIP code, a version like 3.0, or the word no survives the round-trip as the exact string it was in your JSON.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is JSON to YAML conversion lossless?

Yes. JSON and YAML share the same data types, so every object, array, string, number, boolean and null maps directly across. The tool also quotes strings that YAML might otherwise misread, so parsing the YAML back gives you the original values.

### Can I choose the indentation?

Yes. Pick 2 or 4 spaces from the Indent selector. YAML uses spaces, never tabs, so both options produce valid, portable output that any parser accepts.

### What happens with nested objects and arrays?

They are indented as block-style YAML. Nested objects go one level deeper, arrays become dash lists, and an array of objects gets the compact '- key: value' form. Empty objects and arrays render as {} and [].

### What if my JSON is invalid?

The status bar turns red and shows the exact parse error, including the position, so you can find the stray comma or missing quote. The output stays empty until the JSON is valid.

### Is my data uploaded anywhere?

No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you paste is sent to a server, stored or logged, so it is safe for private or sensitive data.

## Related tools

- [JSON Formatter](https://candoya.com/tools/json-formatter/)
- [CSV to YAML Converter](https://candoya.com/tools/csv-to-yaml/)
- [JSON Minifier](https://candoya.com/tools/json-minifier/)
- [JSON to CSV Converter](https://candoya.com/tools/json-to-csv/)
- [Base64 Encode and Decode](https://candoya.com/tools/base64-encode-decode/)

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*Markdown edition of <https://candoya.com/tools/json-to-yaml/>, published for AI agents and other automated readers. Index of key pages: <https://candoya.com/llms.txt>.*