Serialization is the process of converting an in-memory object into a format that can be stored or transmitted, such as JSON, XML, or binary. Deserialization reverses this process by reconstructing the object from the serialized data. Serialization enables data to be transferred across systems, saved to disk, or sent over a network.
Why it matters
Serialization underpins API communication, caching, messaging, and remote procedure calls. Incorrect serialization can cause data corruption, security vulnerabilities, or incompatibility between services.
Examples
Converting an object to JSON before sending it over HTTP or saving a configuration object to disk. Lessons like Working With JSON Files involve serialization concepts.