YAML Anchor & Alias Resolver
DataExpand YAML anchors, aliases, and merge keys inline, and list which anchors were referenced vs. left unused
Paste YAML that uses anchors (&name), aliases (*name), or merge keys (<<:) and get back the fully expanded document with every reference resolved inline, plus a list of which anchors were actually used. Reach for this when a Kubernetes manifest, Docker Compose file, or CI config leans on YAML anchors and you need to see the literal values a tool will actually read, not the shorthand. It is a sibling of the YAML Formatter/Validator, which only checks syntax and never expands anchors, so this tool is the one to use when the question is what does this config actually resolve to.
yamlanchorsaliasesmerge-keys
How to use YAML Anchor & Alias Resolver
- 1.Paste YAML containing &anchor definitions, *alias references, or <<: merge keys into the input box
- 2.Review the resolved output, where every anchor and merge key has been expanded into its literal value
- 3.Check the anchors table to see which anchors were referenced and which were defined but never used
Frequently asked questions
Does this modify the meaning of my YAML?
No. It parses the document with a standard YAML library, which resolves anchors, aliases, and merge keys exactly per the YAML spec, then re-serializes the same data without the anchor shorthand. The resulting values are identical to what any YAML-aware tool would read from the original file.
What counts as an unused anchor?
An anchor definition (&name) whose name never appears as an alias (*name) or merge-key reference anywhere in the document. Unused anchors are harmless but often indicate leftover config or a typo in a reference elsewhere.
Does it support multi-document YAML files (separated by ---)?
No, this tool expects a single YAML document. Multi-document input returns an error; split the file first if you need to resolve each document separately.
What happens if an alias references an anchor that doesn't exist?
The tool returns an error naming the problem, since that is invalid YAML: an alias must reference an anchor defined earlier in the same document.
Use via API, SDK, or MCP
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curl -X POST https://api.utilix.tech/v1/tools/yaml-anchor-resolver \
-H "Authorization: Bearer utx_live_..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"yaml": "defaults: &defaults\n timeout: 30\nprod:\n <<: *defaults\n timeout: 60\n"}'Get an API key from your dashboard · Full API docs →