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XML to YAML

Convert XML to YAML with our free online converter.

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XML→YAMLOpen Converter →

Example: XML input and real YAML output

The output below was generated by the same conversion code the converter uses, run on this sample when the page was built.

XML input (296 characters)
<catalog>
  <book id="bk101">
    <title>Designing Data-Intensive Applications</title>
    <author>Martin Kleppmann</author>
    <year>2017</year>
  </book>
  <book id="bk102">
    <title>The Pragmatic Programmer</title>
    <author>Andrew Hunt</author>
    <year>1999</year>
  </book>
</catalog>
YAML output (236 characters)
catalog:
  book:
    - title: Designing Data-Intensive Applications
      author: Martin Kleppmann
      year: 2017
      '@_id': bk101
    - title: The Pragmatic Programmer
      author: Andrew Hunt
      year: 1999
      '@_id': bk102

YAML output is 20% smaller than the XML input. The same data is 214 characters as minified JSON and 341 as pretty-printed JSON. Sizes are character counts, not tokens: token counts depend on the model's tokenizer (see the tokenizer comparison).

XML to YAML: what changes

  • Reading XML: Attributes are kept with an @_ prefix (id="bk101" becomes "@_id"), repeated child elements become arrays, and numeric text becomes numbers. A single child element becomes an object, not a one-item array, so the shape depends on how many elements appear.
  • Writing YAML: Strings that would otherwise change type on re-read, such as '2021' or '1.0', are quoted. No comments are generated.

About XML

Extensible Markup Language is a verbose but powerful format. Still widely used in legacy systems, SOAP APIs, and document formats.

  • ✓Rich metadata
  • ✓Namespaces
  • ✓Validation schemas
  • ✓Legacy support
Full XML Documentation →

About YAML

YAML is a human-friendly data serialization format. It uses indentation instead of brackets, making configuration files more readable.

  • ✓Human readable
  • ✓No punctuation
  • ✓Supports comments
  • ✓Great for config
Full YAML Documentation →

Other Conversions

XML to JSONXML to TOONXML to TONLXML to TOMLXML to CSVXML to Protobuf

Why Convert XML to YAML?

Use YAML for configuration files, especially in DevOps (Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions). It's more readable than JSON but can have ambiguity with indentation.

XML to YAML: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert XML to YAML?

Paste your XML into the editor on json2toon.co. The tool detects the input and produces YAML instantly, then you copy the result. Conversion runs entirely in your browser, so nothing is uploaded to a server.

Is the XML to YAML converter free?

Yes. Converting XML to YAML on json2toon.co is free with no account, signup, or usage limit. A free public API is also available for automated, programmatic conversion.

Why convert XML to YAML?

Convert XML to YAML with our free online converter.

What should I watch out for when converting XML to YAML?

Strings that would otherwise change type on re-read, such as '2021' or '1.0', are quoted. No comments are generated.

Is my data safe when I convert XML to YAML?

Yes. The XML to YAML conversion happens client-side in your browser. Your source data stays on your device and is never sent to or stored on a server, which makes it safe for private or sensitive payloads.