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YAML Diff - Compare Two YAML Files Online

Free online YAML comparison tool to compare two YAML files instantly. Our semantic YAML diff checker understands document structure — detecting key changes, value modifications, and nested differences for accurate results.

100% private YAML file comparator — all comparison happens in your browser. No uploads, no servers. Perfect for comparing Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose files, CI/CD configs, or any YAML data online.

Why Use This YAML Comparison Tool?

Our YAML diff tool goes beyond simple text comparison. It parses YAML structure and intelligently compares keys and values to show only meaningful differences between your YAML files.

Semantic YAML Diff

Keys and values are compared structurally — not line by line. Compare YAML files accurately even when formatting differs.

Deep Nested Comparison

Recursively compares deeply nested YAML structures including arrays, objects, and mixed types at any depth.

Visual YAML Diff Viewer

Side-by-side formatted YAML with syntax highlighting. Changed lines are color-coded for easy identification.

100% Private & Free

Free YAML comparison tool that never uploads your data. Compare sensitive configuration files safely in your browser.

Character-Level Diff

See exactly which characters changed within a value with inline highlighting for precise change detection.

Instant Results

See YAML differences as you type with real-time comparison. Click any diff to jump to the exact location.

Types of YAML Differences Detected

Our YAML file compare tool detects and categorizes all types of structural and content changes between your YAML documents.

Value Changes

Detects when a YAML value is modified for the same key.

name: old-app
→ name: new-app

Added Keys

Shows keys that exist in the changed document but not in the original.

Original: (none)
Changed: replicas: 3

Removed Keys

Shows keys that exist in the original but were removed from the changed document.

Original: debug: true
Changed: (removed)

Type Changes

Detects when a value type changes, such as string to number or object to array.

port: "8080"
→ port: 8080

Array Changes

Compares array items element by element to detect additions, removals, and modifications.

- redis
- postgres
→ - redis
- mysql

Nested Changes

Recursively detects changes in deeply nested YAML structures.

spec:
  containers:
    - name: app
      image: v1 → v2

Common Use Cases for YAML Diff

Our online YAML compare tool handles any valid YAML data — from Kubernetes manifests to CI/CD pipelines and application configs.

Kubernetes & Docker

Compare Kubernetes manifests and Docker Compose files between environments.

  • Compare K8s deployments
  • Diff Docker Compose files
  • Compare Helm values
  • Validate manifest changes

CI/CD Pipelines

Compare CI/CD pipeline configurations across branches or versions.

  • Compare GitHub Actions
  • Diff GitLab CI configs
  • Compare CircleCI workflows
  • Review pipeline changes

Application Config

Compare application configuration files between environments or releases.

  • Compare Spring configs
  • Diff Ansible playbooks
  • Compare CloudFormation
  • Review config changes

How to Compare Two YAML Files Online

Follow these steps to compare YAML files online and find differences between your YAML documents:

1

Enter Original YAML

Paste or upload your first YAML file in the left editor.

2

Enter Changed YAML

Paste or upload your second YAML file for comparison.

3

View YAML Differences

See all differences categorized by type with highlighted lines.

4

Navigate Diffs

Click any difference to jump to the exact location in both YAML files.

YAML Diff Tool FAQ

How does semantic YAML comparison work?

Our YAML diff tool parses YAML into objects and compares them structurally by key paths. This means formatting differences like indentation style or quote usage won't show as changes — only actual value differences are reported.

Does it handle YAML anchors and aliases?

Yes, YAML anchors and aliases are resolved during parsing. The comparison is performed on the fully resolved data structure, so anchored values are compared correctly.

Can it compare deeply nested YAML?

Yes, the tool recursively compares all nested structures at any depth. Each difference shows the full path to the changed key, like catalog/books[0]/author.

Is this YAML diff tool free?

Yes, this is a completely free YAML comparison tool. All comparison happens locally in your browser — your YAML files are never uploaded to any server.

Does it support multi-document YAML?

Currently the tool compares single YAML documents. For multi-document YAML files (separated by ---), only the first document is compared.

How is this different from text diff?

Text diff compares line by line and shows formatting or ordering changes. Our YAML diff understands YAML structure, normalizes formatting, and compares values semantically for more meaningful results.

Free online YAML diff tool — compare YAML files with semantic comparison that understands YAML structure

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