A YAML parser reads YAML documents and renders them as an interactive tree structure with type annotations. YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is widely used for configuration files in Kubernetes, Docker Compose, CI/CD pipelines, and application settings. Paste any YAML below to explore its structure.
Paste YAML
Tree View
JSON Output
YAML Parse Error
How to Use the YAML Parser & Tree Viewer
YAML files power modern infrastructure — Kubernetes manifests, GitHub Actions workflows, Docker Compose files, Ansible playbooks, and application config files are all YAML. When a YAML file is long or deeply nested, it can be hard to understand its structure at a glance. This free YAML parser helps you visualize any YAML document as an interactive tree with type annotations.
Step 1: Paste Your YAML
Copy your YAML content from a config file, API response, or CI/CD pipeline definition and paste it into the input area. The tool accepts any valid YAML 1.2 including multi-document files (separated by ---), YAML with anchors and aliases (&anchor / *alias), and all scalar types.
Step 2: Explore the Tree View
Click "Parse YAML" to render the tree. Each node shows its key name, value, and type annotation. Types are color-coded: strings are green, numbers are blue, booleans are orange, null values are gray, arrays are purple, and maps (objects) are teal. Click any node with children to expand or collapse that branch. Use "Expand All" or "Collapse All" to control the entire tree at once.
Step 3: Check Statistics
The statistics panel shows: number of YAML documents (useful for multi-document files), total keys at all nesting levels, maximum depth (how many levels deep the structure goes), and total node count. These metrics help you understand the complexity of a YAML file at a glance.
Step 4: Convert to JSON
Toggle "Show as JSON" to see the equivalent JSON representation. YAML is a superset of JSON, so any valid YAML can be expressed as JSON. This is useful when you need to convert a config file format or debug YAML-to-JSON serialization. Use "Copy JSON" to grab the output.
Common YAML Issues to Watch For
YAML is sensitive to indentation — always use spaces, never tabs (tabs cause parse errors). Strings containing colons (:), square brackets, or curly braces should be quoted. Duplicate keys at the same level are technically invalid — the parser uses the last value. Multi-line strings use | (literal block) or > (folded block) syntax.
FAQ
Is this YAML parser free?
Yes, completely free. Paste any YAML document and parse it instantly — no signup, no account required.
Is my YAML data safe?
All processing happens in your browser using the js-yaml library. Your YAML is never sent to any server or stored anywhere.
What YAML version does this support?
This tool uses js-yaml 4.x which supports YAML 1.2 specification, the current standard. It handles anchors (&), aliases (*), multi-document files (---), and all scalar types including strings, numbers, booleans, and null.
Can I parse multi-document YAML files?
Yes. YAML files can contain multiple documents separated by --- (three dashes). The parser detects multi-document files and shows the count. Each document is parsed and displayed as a tree.
What's the difference between YAML and JSON?
YAML is a superset of JSON that adds human-friendly features: indentation-based structure (no braces), comments (# comment), multi-line strings, anchors and aliases for reuse, and explicit type tags. YAML is commonly used for config files; JSON is preferred for API data exchange.
Why does my YAML parse fail?
Common YAML errors: using tabs instead of spaces (YAML requires spaces for indentation), inconsistent indentation, unquoted strings that contain colons or special characters, unclosed quotes, and duplicate keys at the same level.
Can I convert YAML to JSON with this tool?
Yes. After parsing, toggle 'Show as JSON' to see the equivalent JSON representation. You can then copy the JSON output. The conversion preserves all data types including nested objects and arrays.