YAML vs JSON vs XML
All three serialize the same data. The right one depends on who reads it.
Side-by-side
| Dimension | YAML | JSON | XML |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readability | High (indentation) | Medium | Low (verbose tags) |
| Comments | Supported (#) | Not supported | Supported (<!-- -->) |
| Humans edit it? | Yes (config) | Rarely | Rarely |
| Machines exchange it? | Less common | Default (APIs) | Common (legacy/SOAP) |
| Schema/schema tools | Light | JSON Schema | XSD (strong) |
When to reach for each
- YAML — human-authored config: Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions.
- JSON — machine-to-machine APIs and web responses.
- XML — legacy enterprise systems, document formats, and where strong schemas (XSD) are required.
Converting between them
Need YAML as JSON? Use the YAML to JSON converter. Need YAML from XML? Use the XML to YAML converter. Going the other way, the YAML to XML converter produces well-formed output. All run in your browser with no upload. Prefer a focused comparison? See YAML vs JSON.