Serialization is the process of converting an object into a format that can be easily stored or transmitted and recovered in the same or similar form. It is a way of marshalling objects, that is, converting them from an in-memory object to a data format that can be stored in a file or database, sent over a network, or even used as an input to a different program. Serialization is widely used in distributed application development, object databases, XML messaging, and as a way of persisting application data.
Serialization is related to but not to be confused with compression. While compression reduces data size, serialization preserves the schema of an object while making it smaller. It includes techniques such as object graph serialization and remote procedure call transmission. Serialization can be used to represent multiple object formats, such as JSON, XML, and even binary.
In computer science, serialization is sometimes referred to as “marshalling” or “pickling”. In this context, pickling is the process of constructing a data stream that can be converted back into the original object. Marshall is essentially the same operation but with the dataset in a different language, such as JavaScript.
Serialization is an essential part of modern software engineering. It helps in sharing state from one system to another. It can also be used to store objects so that they can easily be retrieved or used as an input for another program.
Although serialization is primarily used for transferring information, its applications also extend to the notion of objects or fields in a database. This is known as object serialization or field serialization. It is used for transferring objects between database and client application communication. Serialization can also be used to create a web service request and response.
Serialization is a powerful tool that can simplify software development tasks. It can make it easier to not only transfer data between different systems, but also store and access it for future use.
