.yaml files

Common questions

How do I open a .yaml file?

On Windows use Visual Studio Code; on macOS use Visual Studio Code; on Linux use Visual Studio Code. An indentation-based configuration format, readable but unforgiving about whitespace.

What is a .yaml file?

YAML Data File. YAML expresses the same structures as JSON with far less punctuation, which is why Kubernetes, Docker Compose, GitHub Actions and Ansible all use it. Indentation is significant and tabs are forbidden, so a single misplaced space breaks the file — the reason most YAML errors are formatting errors.

Can I convert a .yaml file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .json, .toml, .xml or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

Related pages

• .csv — Comma-Separated Values A spreadsheet as plain text, one row per line — the universal data exchange form
• .json — JavaScript Object Notation The standard text format for structured data on the web and in config files.
• .xml — Extensible Markup Language A tag-based text format for structured data, still everywhere in enterprise syst
• .log — Log File A plain-text record of what a program did, newest events usually at the bottom.
• .torrent — BitTorrent Metainfo File A few kilobytes of metadata describing what to download and from whom — not the
• .dat — Generic Data File A meaningless extension — .dat says only that some program stored data here.
• .vcf — vCard Contact File One or more contacts as plain text — the standard way to move an address book.
• .sql — SQL Script A text file of database commands — often a full database dump.
• .ics — iCalendar Event A calendar invitation or event feed in a plain-text standard format.
• .sqlite — SQLite Database A complete relational database in a single file — the most deployed database in
• .db — Generic Database File An extension many programs use for their data — it does not identify one format.
• .bin — Binary File Raw binary data — most often a disc image paired with a .cue, or device firmware