Chapter 5.2: File I/O and Serialization: Understanding Serialization and Deserialization of Objects

 Introduction:

In the previous article, Chapter 5.1, we discussed reading and writing text and binary files, essential skills for working with data in C#. In this article, we'll explore serialization and deserialization of objects, which are important for persisting and restoring object states. In the next article, we'll discuss working with .NET classes, an important aspect of developing C# applications.

Serialization:

Serialization is the process of converting an object's state into a format that can be stored or transmitted. In C#, the .NET framework provides several serialization mechanisms, such as binary, XML, and JSON serialization:

// Binary Serialization
BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("data.bin", FileMode.Create))
{
    formatter.Serialize(stream, myObject);
}

Deserialization:

Deserialization is the process of reconstructing an object's state from a serialized format. This enables you to restore the state of an object, either from storage or after transmission:

// Binary Deserialization
BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
using (FileStream stream = new FileStream("data.bin", FileMode.Open))
{
    MyObjectType myObject = (MyObjectType)formatter.Deserialize(stream);
}

JSON Serialization and Deserialization:

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a popular format for serializing and deserializing data due to its lightweight and human-readable nature. In C#, you can use the Newtonsoft.Json library or the built-in System.Text.Json namespace for JSON serialization and deserialization:

using Newtonsoft.Json;

// JSON Serialization
string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(myObject);

// JSON Deserialization
MyObjectType myObject = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<MyObjectType>(json);

Custom Serialization:

In some cases, you might need to implement custom serialization and deserialization logic for your objects. To do this, you can implement the ISerializable interface or use custom attributes, such as [OnSerializing] and [OnDeserialized].

Conclusion:

In this article, we explored serialization and deserialization of objects, essential concepts for persisting and restoring object states in C#. Understanding these concepts will help you effectively manage data in your applications. In the next article, we'll discuss working with .NET classes, an important aspect of developing C# applications. Stay tuned for more insights into File I/O and Serialization!