.YAML File Extension

YAML Document

Developer N/A
Popularity
3.7  |  60 Votes
 
NEW: Open your .YAML file online with File Helper.View Online

What is a YAML file?

A YAML file is a text document that contains data formatted using YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language), a human-readable data format used for data serialization. It is used for reading and writing data independent of a specific programming language. YAML files are often configuration files, used to define the settings of a program or application.

More Information

Screenshot of a .yaml file in GitHub Atom
YAML file open in GitHub Atom

Because the YAML format is not language-specific, YAML files can be included and referenced within programs written in any language that supports YAML libraries, such as C/C++, Ruby, Python, Java, Perl, C#, and PHP. The YAML acronym originally stood for Yet Another Markup Language, but as the YAML format evolved, the acronym adopted its current, recursive meaning.

If a program uses a YAML file as a settings file, you can edit the program's settings by opening and editing the YAML file in a text or source code editor. Most settings-related YAML files include comments that explain how the file can be used to adjust a program's settings.

NOTE: While the programmer community recommends saving YAML files with the YAML extension, you might also encounter YAML files saved using the .YML extension.

Common YAML Filenames

app.yaml - A YAML file used by Google App Engine.

How to open a YAML file

You can open a YAML file in any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad (Windows) or Apple TextEdit (Mac). However, if you intend to edit a YAML file, you should open it using a source code editor, such as NotePad++ (Windows) or GitHub Atom (cross-platform). These applications provide helpful source code editing tools and highlight YAML syntax correctly.

Programs that open or reference YAML files

Verified by FileInfo.com

The FileInfo.com team has independently researched the YAML Document file format and Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS apps listed on this page. Our goal is 100% accuracy and we only publish information about file types that we have verified.

If you would like to suggest any additions or updates to this page, please let us know.