YAML Input

Parsed Output

What Is a YAML Parser?

Ever copy a YAML config file and wonder why your app is reading a string where it expects a number? YAML's type coercion can be sneaky — yes becomes a boolean, 30 becomes a number, and quoted strings stay strings. This tool reads your YAML 1.2 document and outputs the parsed result as pretty-printed JSON, so you can see exactly what your app sees — the actual data types, the nesting structure, and any surprises in the parsed output. Great for debugging Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD configs, or any YAML-driven application.

This tool runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server, making it safe to use with Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD configs, secrets, or any sensitive YAML content.

YAML Parsing Examples

Paste YAML and see the parsed JSON output. Type coercion is applied — numbers become numbers, booleans become booleans:

Example: Person record

YAML Input:

YAML Input

Parsed JSON output:

JSON View

How to Use This Tool

1

Paste or Upload YAML

Paste your YAML into the left editor or click Upload to load a .yaml or .yml file. The Sample button loads example data.

2

Inspect Parsed Output

The right panel shows your YAML parsed as JSON by default. Switch to YAML View to see the normalized YAML source. The JSON output shows the actual data types: numbers without quotes, true/false for booleans, null for null values.

3

Copy or Download

Use Copy to put the parsed JSON on your clipboard, or Download to save it. For a dedicated converter, see YAML to JSON.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my YAML data private when parsing?

Yes. All parsing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server — you can verify this in your browser's Network tab. Safe for Kubernetes manifests, tokens, and production config.

What is the difference between parsing and formatting YAML?

Parsing reads the YAML text and converts it into structured data (shown as JSON here). Formatting re-indents and normalizes the YAML text without changing the data. Use the YAML Formatter to reformat, or the YAML Validator to check syntax.

Why do some YAML values change type in the JSON output?

YAML has implicit type coercion: 30 becomes a JSON number, true becomes a JSON boolean, and null becomes null. Quoting a value forces it to be a string. The YAML 1.2 spec defines how values are coerced.

What YAML features does this parser support?

Key-value pairs, nested objects, lists, and scalar types (strings, numbers, booleans, null) are fully supported. Complex features like anchors, aliases, and multi-document streams may not be fully parsed. For full YAML support, see the yaml.org tools.

Can I use this to convert YAML to JSON?

The JSON output here is a quick parse view for inspection. For a dedicated converter with download and copy features, use YAML to JSON.

Related Tools

For more on YAML, see the YAML 1.2 specification and yaml.org.