YAML Formatter
Beautify and minify YAML files with configurable formatting options. Format Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD configs, and application settings with proper indentation and style.
Formatting Mode
Beautify Options
Alphabetical key ordering
Add --- at start
Align arrays with parent
Recommended Settings
YAML Formatting Best Practices
- •Use 2-space indentation (YAML standard) for maximum compatibility and readability
- •Beautify YAML before committing to Git for consistent style and readable diffs
- •Sort keys alphabetically for configuration files where order doesn't matter
- •Use 80-character line width for terminal-friendly and git-diff-friendly output
- •Minify YAML for production deployments to reduce file size without losing functionality
Common Use Cases
- •Kubernetes: Format manifests, deployments, services, and config maps for clarity
- •CI/CD: Beautify GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI, and Jenkins pipeline configs
- •Docker Compose: Clean up docker-compose.yml files with proper indentation
- •Ansible: Format playbooks, roles, and inventory files for team collaboration
- •Application configs: Standardize settings files across microservices and applications
Pro Tips
- •Paste YAML and it auto-validates - formatting triggers when valid YAML detected
- •Green checkmark indicates well-formed YAML ready for formatting
- •Beautify adds ~20-30% size, minify reduces ~30-50% depending on original formatting
- •Use document separator (---) for Kubernetes multi-resource YAML files
Most Popular
Most users beautify with 2-space indent, 80-char line width, and auto quotes
When to Use This Tool
Format YAML configuration files before committing to Git for consistent style across the team. Beautify messy YAML from external sources, ensure proper indentation, and maintain readable diffs in pull requests. Essential for Kubernetes manifests, CI/CD configs, and application settings that need human review.
Recommended: Team Collaboration
Standardize formatting of Kubernetes YAML manifests, Docker Compose files, Ansible playbooks, and CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI). Beautify for readability during development, minify for production deployments to reduce file size. Critical for maintaining large infrastructure configurations.
Recommended: DevOps
Clean up auto-generated or machine-produced YAML files that have inconsistent formatting. Convert flow-style YAML to readable block style, fix indentation issues, and sort keys for better organization. Perfect for API responses, export files, or third-party tool outputs that need manual editing.
Recommended: Data Cleanup
Minify YAML configuration files to reduce bundle size in production deployments. Remove unnecessary whitespace and comments while preserving functionality. Ideal for embedded configs, cloud function definitions, or any YAML loaded at runtime where file size impacts performance.
Recommended: Optimization
How It Works
Paste or type your YAML into the input field
Tool automatically validates YAML using js-yaml library's load() function
Green checkmark appears when YAML is valid and parseable
Select formatting mode: Beautify for readability or Minify for compression
Configure options: indent size, line width, quote style, key sorting
Click 'Beautify YAML' or 'Minify YAML' to start formatting
Beautify mode formats with block style, proper indentation, and line breaks
Minify mode uses flow style (inline arrays/objects) to minimize file size
Parser converts YAML to JavaScript object, then dumps back with options
Statistics calculated: original/formatted sizes, line counts, reduction percentage
View formatted output with statistics showing size changes and processing time
Copy formatted YAML to clipboard or download as .yaml file
All processing happens in browser - your data never leaves your device
100% Private
Files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
Lightning Fast
Powered by Client-side JavaScript with js-yaml library (v4.1.1) for optimal performance on modern browsers.
Open Source
Built with verified, open-source libraries. Fully transparent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between beautify and minify?
Beautify formats YAML with proper indentation, line breaks, and spacing for maximum readability. It uses block style (multiple lines with dashes) and configurable options. Minify removes all unnecessary whitespace and uses flow style (inline arrays/objects) to create the smallest possible file while maintaining valid YAML syntax.
How do indent size and line width affect formatting?
Indent size (2 or 4 spaces) controls how much nested elements are indented. YAML standard recommends 2 spaces. Line width determines when long strings or arrays wrap to new lines. 80 characters is terminal-friendly and git-diff friendly, 120 works for wide screens, unlimited prevents wrapping entirely.
What does 'Sort Keys' do?
Sort Keys alphabetically reorders object keys in your YAML output. This creates consistent, predictable files that are easier to compare in version control diffs. However, it changes the original key order, which may matter for some applications. Use it for configuration files where order doesn't affect behavior.
What's flow style vs block style?
Block style uses multiple lines with dashes for lists and indentation for objects (standard YAML format). Flow style uses inline notation like arrays [1, 2, 3] and objects {a: 1, b: 2} similar to JSON. Block style is more readable for complex structures, flow style is more compact. Beautify uses block, minify uses flow.
When should I use document separator (---)?
The document separator (---) is used to separate multiple YAML documents in a single file. It's required for Kubernetes multi-resource files, streaming YAML documents, and some YAML processors. If your YAML contains just one document, the separator is optional but harmless. Enable it for Kubernetes manifests or multi-document files.
What quote style should I use?
Auto (default) only quotes strings when necessary (strings with special characters, numbers as strings, etc.). Single quotes force all strings to use 'single quotes'. Double quotes force all strings to use "double quotes" and allow escape sequences. Auto is most readable and YAML-idiomatic, explicit quotes are useful for consistency or specific parser requirements.
Will formatting change my YAML's meaning?
No. Both beautify and minify preserve the data structure and values exactly. Only whitespace, indentation, and style (block vs flow) change. The parsed result is identical - your configuration, data, or manifests will behave the same way. The tool validates YAML before and after formatting to ensure correctness.
Is my YAML data sent to a server?
No. All formatting happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript and the js-yaml library. Your YAML never leaves your machine, ensuring complete privacy and security. There's no server communication, no data upload, and no external processing - everything runs 100% locally.