JSON vs YAML
JSON is stricter and better on the wire. YAML is easier for humans to edit and easier to break. Choose based on who edits the file and whether comments matter.
Use JSON for APIs, logs, and anything a machine emits. Use YAML for config humans edit, then still validate it. ConvertPass converts both locally so you can keep a JSON source of truth.
| Topic | JSON | YAML |
|---|---|---|
| Comments | Not in the standard. People invent JSONC. | First-class comments. |
| Typing surprises | Types are explicit. Numbers are still floats in many parsers. | YAML 1.1 implicit booleans have caused production incidents. Quote strings that look like booleans or country codes. |
| Tooling | Every language, every browser. | Common in DevOps. Unsafe loaders still exist; do not use them on untrusted input. |
| Whitespace | Insignificant outside strings. | Indentation is structure. |
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Related formats
Last reviewed 16 August 2026.