[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":180},["ShallowReactive",2],{"extension:v3:en:yaml":3},{"resolvedFromAlias":4,"canonicalExt":5,"ext":5,"name":6,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"updatedAt":9,"popularity":10,"summary":11,"howToOs":12,"quickAnswer":18,"answerIntro":19,"whatIs":20,"description":21,"furtherReading":22,"openInstructions":35,"commonIssues":49,"securityNotes":68,"faq":72,"aliases":85,"mimeTypes":87,"relatedExtensions":89,"breadcrumbs":137,"categoryAnchor":147,"categoryFuturePath":148,"metaDescription":149,"availableHowToOs":150,"openOnDeviceLinks":151,"cannotOpenReasons":167,"cannotOpenFixes":168,"convertOptions":169,"securityAffiliateMessaging":170,"securityAffiliates":171},false,"yaml","YAML File","data","Data","2026-06-12T08:02:39.273Z",85,".yaml is a YAML document: a human-readable data serialization format commonly used for configuration files and data exchange. You can open it with a text editor, or with editor support such as the YAML extension for Visual Studio Code.",[13,14,15,16,17],"windows","mac","linux","ios","android","To open .YAML files on Windows, right-click the .yaml file and choose Open with → a text editor (for example, Visual Studio Code).","To open a .yaml file, use a text editor (it’s plain text). For a better experience (syntax highlighting and validation), open it in Visual Studio Code with the “YAML” extension by Red Hat.","YAML is a human-readable data-serialization language used to represent structured data such as mappings (key/value pairs), sequences (lists), and scalars (strings/numbers). The recommended filename extension is .yaml. The registered media type for YAML is application/yaml.","YAML (originally “YAML Ain’t Markup Language”) is designed to be readable and writable by humans while still representing structured data reliably. It is widely used for configuration files and for moving data between tools because it can express nested structures in a concise text form.\n\nA .yaml file is plain text and is typically edited in code editors rather than opened in a specialized “viewer.” Many development tools can consume YAML, so the file’s meaning often depends on the application that uses it (for example, a tool’s configuration format).\n\nFrom a standards perspective, YAML has an official specification (YAML 1.2.2). For Internet/media-type usage, YAML is registered as application/yaml (RFC 9512), which helps systems label YAML content correctly when transmitted or stored.",[23,26,29,32],{"title":24,"url":25},"IANA Media Types Registry (application/yaml)","https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/",{"title":27,"url":28},"YAML 1.2.2 Specification (yaml.org)","https://yaml.org/spec/1.2.2/",{"title":30,"url":31},"YAML (Wikipedia)","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAML",{"title":33,"url":34},"YAML Specification source repository (yaml/yaml-spec)","https://github.com/yaml/yaml-spec",{"windows":36,"macos":39,"linux":42,"ios":45,"android":47},[37,38],"Right-click the .yaml file and choose Open with → a text editor (for example, Visual Studio Code).","In Visual Studio Code, install the “YAML” extension (by Red Hat) from the marketplace for syntax highlighting and YAML-aware features.",[40,41],"Control-click the .yaml file and choose Open With → a text editor (for example, Visual Studio Code).","In Visual Studio Code, install the “YAML” extension (by Red Hat) to improve editing with YAML language support.",[43,44],"Open the .yaml file in a text editor or code editor (for example, Visual Studio Code).","In Visual Studio Code, add the “YAML” extension (by Red Hat) for YAML language features such as validation and navigation.",[46],".yaml is plain text; if you can’t edit it comfortably on iOS with your current apps, transfer it to a desktop editor (for example, Visual Studio Code) for YAML-aware editing.",[48],".yaml is plain text; if your editor does not handle indentation well, transfer the file to a desktop editor (for example, Visual Studio Code) and use YAML language support there.",[50,56,62],{"title":51,"description":52,"steps":53},"YAML parse errors caused by indentation","YAML structure is indentation-sensitive. A single wrong indent level (or mixing tabs and spaces) can change the structure or make the file invalid for the tool that reads it.",[54,55],"Use spaces consistently for indentation and avoid tabs.","Edit the file in an editor with YAML support (for example, VS Code with the Red Hat YAML extension) to catch structural issues earlier.",{"title":57,"description":58,"steps":59},"The file opens, but the application rejects it","Even if the YAML is syntactically valid, the consuming program may require a specific schema (required keys, value types, allowed fields). YAML is a general data format; the meaning is defined by the app using it.",[60,61],"Check the application’s documentation for the expected YAML structure (required fields and types).","Compare against a known-working example and adjust keys/values while keeping indentation and quoting consistent.",{"title":63,"description":64,"steps":65},"Wrong file type association (opens in an unexpected program)","Because .yaml is plain text, operating systems may associate it with an editor you don’t prefer, or with a tool that doesn’t provide YAML-friendly editing features.",[66,67],"Change the default “Open with” program for .yaml to your preferred editor.","For better editing, use an editor with YAML language support (for example, Visual Studio Code plus the Red Hat YAML extension).",[69,70,71],"YAML files are plain text, but they can still be security-relevant: many systems use YAML for configuration, so changing values can alter behavior (for example, enabling features, changing endpoints, or modifying access settings) depending on the application that consumes the file.","Be cautious when processing untrusted YAML with software libraries: YAML can represent complex structures, and some YAML parsers support features that may have security implications if misused. Prefer safe parsing modes and follow your parser/library guidance when handling YAML from untrusted sources.","When receiving YAML over the web or in APIs, the standardized media type is application/yaml; handling it consistently reduces the risk of misclassification in pipelines that route or validate content based on type.",[73,76,79,82],{"question":74,"answer":75},"Is a .yaml file just text?","Yes. YAML is a human-readable data serialization format stored as plain text, typically edited with a text editor or code editor.",{"question":77,"answer":78},"What’s the difference between .yaml and .yml?","They are both commonly used for YAML; the YAML documentation notes .yaml as the recommended filename extension.",{"question":80,"answer":81},"What MIME type should YAML use?","RFC 9512 defines the registered media type application/yaml for YAML, and the IANA media types registry lists it accordingly.",{"question":83,"answer":84},"How do I get better editing features for YAML in VS Code?","Install the “YAML” extension by Red Hat from the Visual Studio Marketplace to add YAML language support such as highlighting and validation features described by the extension.",[86],"yml",[88],"application/yaml",[90,96,101,107,113,119,125,131],{"ext":91,"name":92,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":93,"summary":94,"howToOs":95},"json","JSON data",88,".json files store structured data as plain text using the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format. They’re commonly used for web APIs, app configuration, and data exchange, and can be opened with any text editor or JSON-aware tools.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":97,"name":98,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":10,"summary":99,"howToOs":100},"db","SQLite 3 Database",".db is commonly used for SQLite 3 database files—single-file relational databases used by many apps. You can open them with SQLite tools and many database browsers.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":102,"name":103,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":104,"summary":105,"howToOs":106},"sqlite3","SQLite 3 database",78,".sqlite3 is a SQLite version 3 database stored as a single cross-platform file. You can open it with SQLite’s sqlite3 command-line shell or any SQLite-capable database browser/library.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":108,"name":109,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":110,"summary":111,"howToOs":112},"sqlite","SQLite 3 Database File",75,".sqlite is a SQLite 3 database stored as a single file. You open it with SQLite tools (for example, the SQLite command-line shell) or any application that supports SQLite.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":114,"name":115,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":116,"summary":117,"howToOs":118},"jsonl","JSON Lines (newline-delimited JSON)",72,".jsonl is a JSON Lines file: plain text where each line is a complete JSON value, commonly used for logs and large datasets that are processed record-by-record.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":120,"name":121,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":122,"summary":123,"howToOs":124},"parquet","Apache Parquet columnar data file",70,".parquet is an open, column-oriented file format for efficient storage and retrieval of tabular data. It’s commonly opened with data tools such as pandas (Python) and other analytics/ETL software that supports Apache Parquet.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":126,"name":127,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":128,"summary":129,"howToOs":130},"ndjson","Newline-Delimited JSON (NDJSON)",55,"NDJSON is a text format where each line is a complete JSON object, making it convenient for streaming and log-like datasets. You can open it with any text editor, and many data tools can process it line-by-line.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":132,"name":133,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":134,"summary":135,"howToOs":136},"pkpass","Apple Wallet Pass",54,".pkpass files are Apple Wallet passes used for things like tickets, boarding passes, coupons, and loyalty cards. They’re designed to be added to Apple Wallet and may also work with some third‑party wallet apps on Android.",[13,14,15,16,17],[138,141,144],{"label":139,"to":140},"Home","/",{"label":142,"to":143},"File Extension Index","/file-extension",{"label":145,"to":146},".YAML","/file-extension/yaml","category-data","/category/data","Learn what .YAML files are, how to open them on every platform, common fixes, and security best practices.",[13,14,15,16,17],[152,155,158,161,164],{"os":13,"label":153,"to":154},"Open .YAML on Windows","/how-to/open-yaml-on-windows",{"os":14,"label":156,"to":157},"Open .YAML on Mac","/how-to/open-yaml-on-mac",{"os":15,"label":159,"to":160},"Open .YAML on Linux","/how-to/open-yaml-on-linux",{"os":16,"label":162,"to":163},"Open .YAML on iOS","/how-to/open-yaml-on-ios",{"os":17,"label":165,"to":166},"Open .YAML on Android","/how-to/open-yaml-on-android",[51,57,63],[54,55],[],"untrusted_source",[172,176],{"name":173,"description":174,"affiliateUrl":175},"Avast","Avast offers free and premium antivirus software that protects against viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing. Scan files before opening them to ensure safety.","https://www.avast.com/lp-aff-consumer-store?expid=inf601",{"name":177,"description":178,"affiliateUrl":179},"Norton","Norton 360 delivers comprehensive antivirus protection, VPN, and identity theft monitoring. Scan files for threats before opening to keep your device secure.","http://buy.norton.com/aff_home?utm_campaign=en-ww_nor_n36_aff_nas_nau_nah_cj_nad_low:_sec_nat_mktc_norton_360",1781269501287]