Encode operators will take the piped in object structure and encode it as a string in the desired format. The decode operators do the opposite, they take a formatted string and decode it into the relevant object structure.

## Encode value as yaml string
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.b = (.a | to_yaml)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  cool: thing
```

## Encode value as yaml string, using toyaml
Does the same thing as to_yaml, matching jq naming convention.

Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.b = (.a | to_yaml)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  cool: thing
```

## Encode value as json string
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.b = (.a | to_json)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  {
    "cool": "thing"
  }
```

## Encode value as props string
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.b = (.a | to_props)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  cool = thing
```

## Decode a yaml encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a: 'foo: bar'
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.b = (.a | from_yaml)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a: 'foo: bar'
b:
  foo: bar
```

## Update an encoded yaml string
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
a: |
  foo: bar
```
then
```bash
yq eval '.a |= (from_yaml | .foo = "cat" | to_yaml)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
a: |
  foo: cat
```