📝
Developer/Markdown Metadata Editor

Markdown Metadata Editor

Edit YAML front matter in .md files — add, modify, delete fields with live preview. 100% local.

100% LOCALYAML front matter parserType auto-detectionAdd/delete fieldsBefore/after diff
Markdown Input16 lines • 434 chars
Metadata Fields
Paste Markdown content to parse front matter
Data Source & Legal Disclaimer
Effective: 2026
Sources: Browser-side processing (no external API)

This tool runs 100% in your browser. All computation happens locally on your device — your input is never uploaded to any server. Results are for reference only.

See all data sources & update policy →

Anatomy of YAML front matter — illustrated

A Markdown file with front matter is really two documents: a ----delimited YAML metadata block at the very top, then the Markdown body. Static-site generators (Hugo, Jekyll, Hexo) read the YAML for title, date, tags, draft and so on, then render the body. This tool parses that block with a YAML parser, exposes each key as a typed field (string, date, number, boolean, array, object, null), and re-serializes valid YAML on download — the body below the closing --- is preserved untouched.

One file, two parts: YAML metadata + Markdown body
post.md---title: Getting Starteddate: 2026-07-15tags: [static-site, hugo]draft: false---FRONT MATTER (YAML)# Getting StartedStatic site generators like Hugo…TYPED FIELDStitle → stringdate → date (yyyy-mm-dd)tags → arraydraft → booleanYAML dumptyped → valid YAMLdates stay yyyy-mm-ddBody Markdown is never touched — only the metadata block is rewritten

Left: the raw file. The dashed --- fences mark the metadata region; everything after them is body. Right: each YAML key becomes an editable typed field, and the round-trip re-emits valid YAML (dates kept as yyyy-mm-dd so they are not re-parsed as timestamps).

Publishing a Hugo draft

Diego, a content engineer, has a half-finished blog post with front matter. He needs to flip it live and tidy its metadata before the next site build.

  1. Upload post.md:title, date, tags, draft parse into editable typed fields; body preserved
  2. Flip draft to false:The boolean toggle changes publish status before the next build
  3. Edit the tags array:Comma-separated input serializes back to [static-site, hugo]
  4. Download .md:YAML is re-dumped with dates kept as yyyy-mm-dd; the body is byte-for-byte unchanged
↩ Back to editor

About this tool

What is this tool?

Edit YAML front matter in Markdown files. Add, modify, delete metadata fields with type detection. Live preview. Free, no signup.

YAML front matter parserType auto-detectionAdd/delete fieldsBefore/after diff

What Is the Markdown Metadata Editor?

This editor edits YAML front matter — the key: value block between --- markers at the top of Markdown files — without hand-editing YAML and risking indentation mistakes. Load a .md file and the tool parses the front matter into an editable form: existing fields show with detected types, new fields add with one click, and values edit as text, numbers, booleans, dates, or lists. A live diff previews exactly which lines change before you download the modified file, and the body below the front matter stays byte-identical. Everything runs locally, which suits the Jekyll, Hugo, and Hexo sites whose front matter often carries drafts and unpublished content.

Who Should Use This Tool?

Blog authors publishing via static site generators adjust titles, tags, and dates without YAML syntax errors blocking a build. Content teams standardizing metadata across posts — adding a consistent author field or category taxonomy — batch-edit fields and see each diff before saving. Technical writers maintaining documentation sets update version and last-reviewed stamps across many files. Anyone who has broken a Jekyll build with a stray space in front matter, then spent an hour finding it, adopts a form-based editor immediately.

How Does It Work?

(1) Upload or paste a Markdown file with front matter; the parser reads everything between the opening and closing --- delimiters. (2) Fields render as an editable list with type detection — strings, numbers, booleans, dates, and arrays each get an appropriate input. (3) Add, rename, or delete fields; reordering keeps the final YAML tidy. (4) Review the diff — original versus modified front matter side by side — then download the updated .md with body content untouched. Invalid YAML in the source is reported at load rather than mangled silently.

What Goes in YAML Front Matter?

Front matter is the metadata header static site generators read to build routes and templates. Common fields across Jekyll, Hugo, and Hexo: title and description for page head data; date and lastmod controlling sort order and sitemap timestamps; tags and categories feeding taxonomy pages; draft: true excluding a post from production builds; slug and url overriding the default route; author and layout selecting templates. Type conventions matter: dates in ISO format (2026-08-15 or with time), lists either inline [a, b] or one - item per line, and strings with colons quoted. The classic build breakers are tabs instead of spaces, unquoted values containing colons, and inconsistent list indentation — precisely the mistakes a form-based editor structurally prevents. Keep custom fields aligned with your theme's expected names, and use lastmod updates deliberately: sitemap consumers treat it as a freshness signal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is YAML front matter?

YAML front matter is a metadata block at the top of a Markdown file, wrapped in --- delimiters. It contains key-value pairs like title, author, date, tags, and draft status. Static site generators like Hugo, Hexo, and Jekyll use it to manage post metadata.

Can I add new metadata fields?

Yes. Click the + Add field button at the bottom of the field list. Enter a field name, select a type (string, date, number, boolean, or array), and enter a value. The new field is automatically added to the front matter output.

What file types are supported?

The tool supports .md, .markdown, and .txt files up to 1MB. Files are processed entirely in your browser — no content is uploaded to any server.

Does it work with Hugo, Hexo, and Jekyll?

Yes. The tool parses standard YAML front matter delimited by --- at the top of the file, which is the format used by Hugo, Hexo, Jekyll, Eleventy, and most static site generators.

Related tools

Joke of the Day
Sep 6

What do you call a crab that plays baseball?

100% Free, Forever

Keep Tools Free for Everyone

No paywalls, no signups, no data sold. Built by a solo developer who believes useful tools should be accessible to everyone.

Support me on Ko-fi— keep tools free

100% of proceeds go towards hosting & building more free tools.