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Use JSON for machine-to-machine exchange when your tools and consumers already expect it. Choose YAML when people maintain configuration and benefit from comments, readable block structure, or multiple documents. If YAML must feed a JSON consumer, define a compatible subset and test the exact parser and conversion path: YAML offers features JSON cannot represent, and implementations can interpret some input differently.
How to choose between JSON and YAML
- Choose JSON for API payloads, exchanged data, or generated output when a simple, constrained format and broad compatibility are priorities.
- Choose YAML for configuration that people edit when comments, block-style layout, or multiline values make it easier to maintain.
- Choose either with constraints when data passes between the formats. Standardize the YAML version and parser, allow only features the JSON consumer supports, and test the conversion.
These are practical defaults, not hard boundaries. YAML is also used in APIs; RFC 9512 notes its use in the API sector. The right choice depends on who edits the data and what the receiving systems accept.
What is different about JSON and YAML?
JSON keeps the data model constrained
JSON has a comparatively small set of data values and a syntax designed for data interchange. That constraint makes it a natural fit when separate systems need a predictable common format. RFC 8259 recommends UTF-8 for JSON exchanged between open systems: RFC 8259.
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YAML supports comments and readable block forms that can help people document and edit configuration. It also offers features such as anchors and aliases, tags, and multi-document streams. Those capabilities make YAML more expressive, but they are not all representable in JSON.
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The YAML 1.2.2 specification describes YAML as “a natural superset of JSON, offering improved human readability and a more complete information model.” That describes YAML’s relationship to JSON, not a guarantee that every YAML document can be passed unchanged to a JSON-only tool. See the specification’s section on its relation to JSON.
When YAML and JSON do not interoperate cleanly
YAML 1.2.2 aims for JSON compatibility, and YAML flow syntax can resemble JSON. But a JSON consumer cannot necessarily handle all YAML syntax or information. RFC 9512 identifies several features and values that have no JSON counterpart or may require special handling:
- Comments and directives: JSON has no equivalent, so they can be discarded.
- Aliases and anchors: Alias nodes have no JSON counterpart; cyclic references can also be problematic.
- Multiple documents: A YAML stream can contain multiple documents, while a JSON value does not represent a multi-document stream.
- Mapping keys: YAML can use non-string keys; JSON object member names are strings.
- Values and types: Values such as
.infand.nan, timestamps, and custom tags may not map to JSON values. - Encoding: Non-UTF-8 encodings can create problems for JSON interchange.
For a YAML-to-JSON workflow, document the allowed subset—for example, one document, string mapping keys, JSON-compatible values, and no custom tags or cyclic aliases. Then test the actual parser and serializer used in production. RFC 9512, YAML Media Type, details these interoperability considerations.
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Why YAML values can vary between parsers
YAML’s implicit typing rules have changed across versions, and older parsers may not interpret a value the way a YAML 1.2 parser does. RFC 9512 describes YAML 1.2 booleans as true, True, TRUE, false, False, or FALSE; older parsers may also treat words such as YES or NO as booleans.
If a value must be text, quote it when it could be mistaken for another type. For consistent behavior across environments, specify or constrain the YAML version and parser instead of assuming every implementation resolves ambiguous values identically.
How to exchange YAML with a JSON consumer safely
- Agree on the target data model. Confirm that the consumer accepts a single JSON value and identify the types and structures it supports.
- Define a YAML subset. Exclude features that cannot be represented or reliably handled, such as custom tags, non-string keys, multiple documents, and cyclic aliases.
- Standardize parsing behavior. Set the YAML version and parser expectations, and quote strings that could be resolved ambiguously.
- Test the real conversion path. Run representative inputs through the same parser and serializer used by the application, then check for lost comments, changed types, or rejected values.
Security considerations for YAML
YAML is not inherently unsafe, and RFC 9512 notes that many implementations provide safe deserializers. The risk depends on parser behavior and configuration: resolving tags may enable unexpected code execution, while cyclic alias graphs or exponential expansion can consume excessive resources.
- Use a safe deserialization mode and keep code execution disabled unless explicitly required.
- Set limits on alias recursion or expansion and on resource consumption where the parser allows it.
- Validate untrusted input and test the specific parser configuration your application uses.
JSON input should also be validated and handled according to the implementation’s limits; a constrained format does not remove the need to check untrusted data.
Does one format perform better?
The cited specifications establish design goals and compatibility properties, not a universal speed or file-size winner. Performance depends on the parser, data shape, and workload. If performance matters for your application, benchmark the specific implementations and representative inputs rather than choosing based on a blanket claim about JSON or YAML.
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