The Project | About Us | Contribute | Donations | License
HOME My courses Completed
◄ Previous
◄

Serialization

Next ►
►

Serialization is the process of converting an object into a format that can be easily stored or transmitted and then reconstructed later. In C#, serialization is commonly used to save the state of an object to a file, send it over a network, or store it in a database.

Key Concepts

  1. Serialization: Converting an object into a stream of bytes.
  2. Deserialization: Reconstructing an object from a stream of bytes.
  3. Serializable Attribute: Marking a class as serializable.
  4. Binary Serialization: Storing objects in a binary format.
  5. XML Serialization: Storing objects in an XML format.
  6. JSON Serialization: Storing objects in a JSON format.

Types of Serialization

Binary Serialization

Binary serialization converts an object into a binary format. This is efficient in terms of storage and speed but is not human-readable.

Example

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

[Serializable]
public class Person
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Person person = new Person { Name = "John Doe", Age = 30 };

        // Serialize
        BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("person.dat", FileMode.Create))
        {
            formatter.Serialize(stream, person);
        }

        // Deserialize
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("person.dat", FileMode.Open))
        {
            Person deserializedPerson = (Person)formatter.Deserialize(stream);
            Console.WriteLine($"Name: {deserializedPerson.Name}, Age: {deserializedPerson.Age}");
        }
    }
}

XML Serialization

XML serialization converts an object into an XML format. This is human-readable and can be easily shared across different systems.

Example

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

public class Person
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Person person = new Person { Name = "John Doe", Age = 30 };

        // Serialize
        XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Person));
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("person.xml", FileMode.Create))
        {
            serializer.Serialize(stream, person);
        }

        // Deserialize
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("person.xml", FileMode.Open))
        {
            Person deserializedPerson = (Person)serializer.Deserialize(stream);
            Console.WriteLine($"Name: {deserializedPerson.Name}, Age: {deserializedPerson.Age}");
        }
    }
}

JSON Serialization

JSON serialization converts an object into a JSON format. This is also human-readable and widely used in web applications.

Example

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text.Json;

public class Person
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Person person = new Person { Name = "John Doe", Age = 30 };

        // Serialize
        string jsonString = JsonSerializer.Serialize(person);
        File.WriteAllText("person.json", jsonString);

        // Deserialize
        string jsonStringFromFile = File.ReadAllText("person.json");
        Person deserializedPerson = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<Person>(jsonStringFromFile);
        Console.WriteLine($"Name: {deserializedPerson.Name}, Age: {deserializedPerson.Age}");
    }
}

Practical Exercises

Exercise 1: Binary Serialization

Task: Create a Student class with properties Name, ID, and Grade. Serialize and deserialize an instance of this class using binary serialization.

Solution:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

[Serializable]
public class Student
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int ID { get; set; }
    public double Grade { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Student student = new Student { Name = "Alice", ID = 123, Grade = 4.0 };

        // Serialize
        BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("student.dat", FileMode.Create))
        {
            formatter.Serialize(stream, student);
        }

        // Deserialize
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("student.dat", FileMode.Open))
        {
            Student deserializedStudent = (Student)formatter.Deserialize(stream);
            Console.WriteLine($"Name: {deserializedStudent.Name}, ID: {deserializedStudent.ID}, Grade: {deserializedStudent.Grade}");
        }
    }
}

Exercise 2: XML Serialization

Task: Create a Book class with properties Title, Author, and ISBN. Serialize and deserialize an instance of this class using XML serialization.

Solution:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

public class Book
{
    public string Title { get; set; }
    public string Author { get; set; }
    public string ISBN { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Book book = new Book { Title = "C# Programming", Author = "John Smith", ISBN = "123-4567890123" };

        // Serialize
        XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Book));
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("book.xml", FileMode.Create))
        {
            serializer.Serialize(stream, book);
        }

        // Deserialize
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("book.xml", FileMode.Open))
        {
            Book deserializedBook = (Book)serializer.Deserialize(stream);
            Console.WriteLine($"Title: {deserializedBook.Title}, Author: {deserializedBook.Author}, ISBN: {deserializedBook.ISBN}");
        }
    }
}

Exercise 3: JSON Serialization

Task: Create a Car class with properties Make, Model, and Year. Serialize and deserialize an instance of this class using JSON serialization.

Solution:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text.Json;

public class Car
{
    public string Make { get; set; }
    public string Model { get; set; }
    public int Year { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Car car = new Car { Make = "Toyota", Model = "Camry", Year = 2020 };

        // Serialize
        string jsonString = JsonSerializer.Serialize(car);
        File.WriteAllText("car.json", jsonString);

        // Deserialize
        string jsonStringFromFile = File.ReadAllText("car.json");
        Car deserializedCar = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<Car>(jsonStringFromFile);
        Console.WriteLine($"Make: {deserializedCar.Make}, Model: {deserializedCar.Model}, Year: {deserializedCar.Year}");
    }
}

Common Mistakes and Tips

  1. Forgetting the Serializable Attribute: Ensure that the class you want to serialize is marked with the [Serializable] attribute for binary serialization.
  2. Handling Non-Serializable Members: Use the [NonSerialized] attribute to exclude members from serialization.
  3. Versioning: Be cautious when changing the structure of a class that is serialized, as it can break deserialization of older versions.
  4. Security: Be aware of the security implications of deserializing data from untrusted sources.

Conclusion

Serialization is a powerful feature in C# that allows you to save and transfer the state of objects. Understanding the different types of serialization and their use cases will enable you to choose the right method for your needs. Practice with the provided exercises to solidify your understanding and prepare for more advanced topics.

◄ Previous
◄
Next ►
►
The Project | About Us | Contribute | Donations | License
© Copyright 2024. All rights reserved