Recently, our team has been working more extensively with YAML files, and I noticed we were spending considerable time debugging syntax errors - especially those tricky indentation issues. Anyone who has worked with YAML knows how frustrating it can be to discover that your entire configuration doesn't work because of one extra space or a tab instead of spaces.
I decided to create a simple yet effective YAML validator to help us catch errors instantly, without waiting for a deployment to fail or the CI/CD pipeline to tell us something's wrong.
What Does This Tool Do?
The YAML validator is a web-based tool that checks the syntax of your YAML files in real-time. Simply copy your code or upload a file, and you'll immediately see if there are any issues. If everything is correct, the tool also displays the parsed structure in JSON format, which is very convenient for visualizing the data.
Why Is It Useful?
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is used everywhere in modern development:
- Kubernetes manifests and configurations
- Docker Compose files
- CI/CD pipeline configurations (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, etc.)
- Ansible playbooks
- Configuration files for various applications
A small indentation error can lead to hours of debugging, especially in complex configurations. This tool saves you exactly that time.
Key Features
I made it as practical and user-friendly as possible:
- Real-time validation - write and immediately see the results
- File upload - you can check your .yaml/.yml files directly
- Detailed error messages - exactly where the problem is and what's wrong
- Bilingual interface - Bulgarian and English
- Copy results - easy sharing or saving
- Modern and intuitive design - pleasant to work with
How to Use It?
Using it is extremely simple:
- Open the tool in your browser
- Copy your YAML code or upload a file
- The tool automatically validates as you type
- If there's an error - you see a detailed description
- If everything is OK - you see the parsed structure
Download
The tool is completely free and you can download and use it locally. It's a single HTML file that works directly in the browser - no server or additional installations required.
You can download it from the original article
Or simply open it directly in the browser and save it via "Save As" for local use.
Why a Local Tool?
I preferred to create this as a standalone HTML file instead of an online service for several reasons:
- Privacy - your configuration files aren't sent anywhere
- Speed - everything works locally, no internet needed
- Reliability - you don't depend on external server availability
- Easy integration - you can add it to your team's tools
Conclusion
If you work with YAML regularly, this tool can significantly make your life easier. Instead of waiting for errors from various systems, you can check the syntax in advance and save quite a bit of time and nerves.
Happy usage and fewer YAML errors! ๐
P.S. If you have suggestions for improvements or encounter a problem, don't hesitate to share - all feedback is welcome!
About YAML
YAML is a human-readable data serialization language that's commonly used for configuration files and data exchange between languages. Its clean syntax and support for complex data structures make it ideal for:
- DevOps workflows - Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Container orchestration - Kubernetes, Docker Swarm
- Automation - CI/CD pipelines, configuration management
- Application configuration - Settings, environment variables
The most common issues in YAML files are:
- Indentation errors - Mixing tabs and spaces
- Missing colons - After keys
- Incorrect nesting - Wrong hierarchy levels
- Special characters - Not properly escaped
- Syntax issues - Invalid YAML constructs
This validator helps catch all these issues before they cause problems in production!
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