How are YAML anchors and aliases handled?

They are expanded before serialisation so the XML output contains the dereferenced data. The aliases themselves do not appear in the result.

What about sequences at the top level?

A top-level sequence is wrapped in the configured root element, with each item rendered as a repeated child tag.

No. Parsing and XML generation happen in your browser tab.

Why do some keys get renamed?

YAML keys may contain characters that are not valid in XML element names (such as spaces or starting digits). Those characters are replaced with underscores to keep the output well-formed.

yaml → xml · nested mappings · array fan-out · live

Convert YAML to XML

YAML documents become nested XML trees. Mappings emit as parent elements; lists fan out into repeated child elements; scalars become text nodes.

YAML → XML

Input

91 B

8 lines

Output

0 B

1 lines

Status

parser…

Ratio

0.00×

out/in

input · yaml

output · xml

Loading parser…

Quick Start

How YAML becomes XML

The js-yaml loader walks the document. Object keys become element names, nested mappings nest as child elements, arrays repeat with the parent's tag, and scalars become text. The top level wraps in a root element.

01
Paste YAML
Any well-formed YAML — mappings, sequences, scalars.
Parsing runs through Prettier’s standalone bundle (or the language-specific equivalent) loaded lazily — no parser ships until the tool is opened.
inputPrettierASTstandalonelazy
in · sourceyaml · AST
```
name: Alice
age: 30
```
loaded · parsedAST · ready
02
Mappings → elements
Each key emits a <key>value</key> child.
Indent width, tab style, and print-width re-format through a memoised pass — switching 2 → 4 spaces never re-parses, only re-prints.
mapindentprint-widthmemoisedlive
map · optionselt · live
```
<name>Alice</name>
```
options applied · livelive
03
Lists fan out
A list value re-emits its parent element once per item.
The formatter is deterministic and idempotent: running it twice produces byte-identical output, which keeps diffs and git noise to a minimum.
seqidempotentdeterministicdiff-cleanstable
seq · formattedrepeat · ready
```
<hobby>read</hobby>
<hobby>cycle</hobby>
```
formatted · liveidempotent
04
Copy or download
Output is wrapped in a root element with an XML declaration.
Download writes a Blob with the language-appropriate extension; copy uses navigator.clipboard.writeText so the output preserves all whitespace exactly.
exportclipboardbloblanguage MIMEclient-side
✓ · copiedready · done
```
✓ Copied
```
shipped · ready to shipsuccess

Pro tips

Formatting tips that keep diffs sane

Pick one config and pin it

Inconsistent formatting causes diff churn. Commit .prettierrc / .editorconfig and enforce in CI.

Format on save

Editor integration is faster feedback than a pre-commit hook. Use both for belt-and-braces.

Idempotency matters

Running the formatter twice should produce identical output. Test this on a representative file.

Match the language community

Default to community conventions: 2 spaces for JS/CSS, 4 for Python, tabs for Go. Fights over indent are a productivity tax.

Print-width drives wrapping

80, 100, and 120 are the common targets. Wider lines parse fast but review slower side-by-side.

Don’t mix formatters and linters

Prettier handles whitespace; ESLint handles correctness. Disable overlapping rules to avoid fight-club configs.

Use Cases

When to convert YAML to XML

Legacy integration, SOAP, config hand-off.

SOAP payloads

Hand YAML config to a SOAP service that expects XML. Idempotent: running the formatter twice produces byte-identical output, which is the foundation of a clean CI gate. Pair with a pre-commit hook so PRs arrive already formatted, focusing review on logic.

idempotent

Spring / Maven

Round-trip YAML config into XML-based Spring or Maven files. Pairs with EditorConfig + .prettierrc for end-to-end consistency. Whitespace-only changes vanish so reviewers see real diffs, and git blame stays honest about who wrote what.

CI-ready

RSS publishing

Turn YAML content lists into XML feeds. Output respects your indent width, tab style, and print-width — settings carry over for repeat runs. Switching 2-space to 4-space costs nothing in CPU but standardises an entire codebase.

diff-clean

Schema validation

Validate the structure with an XSD before consuming downstream. Format-on-save is the fastest feedback loop; CI is the safety net. Together they make inconsistent indentation a thing of the past and free up review cycles for genuine concerns.

PR-friendly

Legacy ETL

Adapt YAML pipelines to XML-only ETL stages. Whitespace-only changes don't trigger downstream content-hash invalidations, so CDN cache keys and CI cache layers stay warm. Real changes get all the rebuild budget.

review-ready

B2B integration

Trading-partner exchanges still demand XML. Pairs with linters (ESLint, Stylelint, pylint) that catch what formatting alone can't — bugs, unused imports, dead code. Each tool stays in its lane, and the codebase stays clean.

b2b

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What about attributes?

All values render as child elements — attribute output isn't supported by this converter.

Namespaces?

Add namespace declarations manually to the wrapping <root> element after copying.

Lists of mappings?

Each list element fans out as a repeated parent element containing the mapping's children.

Special characters?

& < and > are entity-escaped automatically so the output stays well-formed.

Is anything sent to a server?

No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser.

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