Convert CSV to YAML Online Free
Transform comma-separated data into structured YAML sequences. Each CSV row becomes a YAML mapping with your column headers as keys. Ready for DevOps tools and config files.
To convert CSV to YAML, drop your .csv file onto the ChangeThisFile converter. Headers become YAML keys and each row becomes a mapping in a YAML sequence. This free tool processes everything in your browser and never uploads your data to any server.
Convert CSV to YAML
Drop your CSV file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .csv file here, or click to browse
Convert to YAML instantly
CSV vs YAML: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | CSV | YAML |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Flat rows and columns | Hierarchical mappings and sequences |
| Data types | All values are strings | Strings, numbers, booleans, null, dates |
| Nesting | Not supported | Unlimited depth with indentation |
| Comments | Not supported | Supported with # syntax |
| Readability | Best in spreadsheet applications | Human-readable with indentation |
| File size | Very compact | Larger due to key names on every entry |
| Primary use | Data exchange, spreadsheets, database exports | Configuration, DevOps, Ansible, Kubernetes |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Creating Ansible variable files
Convert CSV lists of servers, users, or configuration parameters into YAML variable files for Ansible playbooks and roles.
Generating fixture data for testing
Convert CSV test data into YAML fixtures for test frameworks that support YAML data loading, such as Rails fixtures or pytest-datadir.
Building configuration from spreadsheet data
Export configuration settings from a spreadsheet as CSV and convert to YAML for use in application config files or Docker Compose.
Data seeding for static site generators
Convert CSV datasets into YAML data files for Jekyll, Hugo, or Eleventy static sites that use YAML for structured content.
How to Convert CSV to YAML
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1
Drop your CSV file
Drag and drop your .csv file onto the converter, or click to browse. The parser auto-detects commas, semicolons, and tab delimiters.
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2
Instant conversion
The first row provides YAML keys. Each subsequent row becomes a YAML mapping in a sequence. Numeric values are detected and typed appropriately.
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3
Download your YAML
Click Download to save the .yaml file. The output uses standard 2-space indentation with proper YAML formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first row of your CSV becomes the key names for each YAML mapping. For example, headers 'name' and 'email' produce YAML entries with 'name:' and 'email:' keys.
Yes. The parser identifies numeric strings and outputs them as YAML integers or floats. Values like '42' become 42 and '3.14' becomes 3.14 without quotes.
Empty fields become null values in the YAML output. Completely empty rows are skipped.
Fields containing colons, quotes, or YAML-special characters are automatically quoted in the YAML output to ensure valid syntax.
Yes. The parser auto-detects commas, semicolons, tabs, and pipe characters. You do not need to specify the delimiter.
The output uses block style with 2-space indentation. Each row becomes a dash-prefixed mapping entry in a YAML sequence.
Values like 'true', 'false', 'yes', and 'no' are converted to YAML boolean types. If you need them as strings, quote them in the original CSV.
The converter handles files with tens of thousands of rows. Very large files produce large YAML output, so performance depends on your device's memory.
Yes. Everything runs in your browser. Your CSV data is never uploaded to any server, making it safe for sensitive or proprietary datasets.
The converter produces valid YAML syntax. For Docker Compose, you may need to restructure the output to match the expected schema for services, volumes, and networks.
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