yml2dot - Turn YAML into beautiful Graph

Use Cases

• Visualize your YAML files as Graph
• Generate additional info from your source code (simply define a YAML block and use this tool)

How yml2dot works?

Takes in input:

• any YAML file
• any text file that has YAML between comments (like front matter)

Generates a dot script for Graphviz.

Examples

Visualize a Kubernetes Deployment YAML file

Given a sample deployment.yml file:

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: nginx-deployment
  labels:
    app: nginx
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: nginx
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: nginx
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: nginx
        image: nginx:1.14.2
        ports:
        - containerPort: 80

Run yml2dot like this:

$ yml2dot deployment.yml | dot -Tpng > deployment.png

and create this graph:

Grab YAML info embedded in your source code

/*** 
Box:
  Object:
    - set
    - get
***/

public class Box {
    private Object object;

    public void set(Object object) {
        this.object = object;
    }
    public Object get() {
        return object;
    }
}

Use the -from and -to flags to mark your YAML block.

Run yml2dot like this:

$ yml2dot -from '/***' -to '***/' Box.java | dot -Tpng > Box.java.png

and create this graph:

Piping YAML strings

You can also pipe YAML strings directly into yml2dot, allowing for dynamic generation and transformation of YAML data. This is particularly useful when combining yml2dot with other command-line tools in a Unix-style pipeline.

For example, to visualize a YAML string without creating an intermediate file:

echo "apiVersion: v1\nkind: Pod\nmetadata:\n  name: mypod" | yml2dot | dot -Tpng > mypod.png

Or, to dynamically generate a YAML configuration and immediately visualize it:

generate-yaml-config | yml2dot | dot -Tpng > config.png

This feature enhances yml2dot's flexibility and integration into automated workflows and scripts.

How to install?

If you have golang installed:

$ go install github.com/lucasepe/yml2dot@latest

This will create the executable under your $GOPATH/bin directory.

Ready-To-Use Releases

If you don't want to compile the sourcecode yourself, Here you can find the tool already compiled for:

• MacOS
• Linux
• Windows