Does this tool send my YAML to a server?

No. Parsing and formatting happen entirely in your browser using a JavaScript YAML library. Your content is never uploaded.

Why does it say my YAML is invalid?

The parser checks for real YAML syntax errors such as bad indentation, unclosed quotes, or invalid mapping structure. The error message includes the line and column so you can find the problem quickly.

Does it preserve comments?

No. The underlying YAML parser rebuilds the document from parsed data, so comments and blank-line formatting are not preserved. Values, keys, and structure are preserved exactly.

Can it format multiple YAML documents separated by ---?

Yes. Each document separated by a --- marker is parsed and formatted independently, then joined back together with document separators.

What indentation does it use?

Output is always 2 spaces per level, which is the standard convention for Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions, and most YAML style guides.

Does it handle tabs in the input?

YAML does not allow tabs for indentation. If your input contains a tab used for indentation, the parser will report it as a syntax error at that line.

YAML Beautifier

Paste messy YAML and get consistently formatted, 2-space-indented output with instant syntax validation.

Input YAML

Formatted output

Summary

This tool parses your YAML with a real YAML engine and re-emits it with clean, consistent 2-space indentation. Because it fully parses the document rather than pattern-matching text, it catches syntax errors that hand-written indentation fixes would miss, and it reports the exact line and column where parsing failed. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you paste ever leaves your device.

How it works

Paste or type your YAML into the input box on the left.
The tool parses the YAML document as you type.
Valid YAML is re-formatted with consistent 2-space indentation in the output box.
Invalid YAML shows an inline error with the line and column of the problem.
Copy the formatted result or download it as a .yaml file.

Use cases

Clean up YAML copied from Slack, docs, or chat with inconsistent spacing.
Normalize indentation before committing a Kubernetes manifest or CI config.
Validate a docker-compose.yml or GitHub Actions workflow before running it.
Catch tab characters or bad indentation that break strict YAML parsers.
Reformat multi-document YAML files exported from other tools.
Sanity-check YAML generated by scripts before pasting it into config files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu