serialization

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Summary

Choose the right serialization format for .NET applications. Prefer schema-based formats (Protobuf, MessagePack) over reflection-based (Newtonsoft.Json). Use System.Text.Json with AOT source generators for JSON scenarios.

SKILL.md

Serialization in .NET

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Choosing a serialization format for APIs, messaging, or persistence
Migrating from Newtonsoft.Json to System.Text.Json
Implementing AOT-compatible serialization
Designing wire formats for distributed systems
Optimizing serialization performance

Schema-Based vs Reflection-Based

Aspect	Schema-Based	Reflection-Based
Examples	Protobuf, MessagePack, System.Text.Json (source gen)	Newtonsoft.Json, BinaryFormatter
Type info in payload	No (external schema)	Yes (type names embedded)
Versioning	Explicit field numbers/names	Implicit (type structure)
Performance	Fast (no reflection)	Slower (runtime reflection)
AOT compatible	Yes	No
Wire compatibility	Excellent	Poor

Recommendation: Use schema-based serialization for anything that crosses process boundaries.

Format Recommendations

Use Case	Recommended Format	Why
REST APIs	System.Text.Json (source gen)	Standard, AOT-compatible

Format	Problem
BinaryFormatter	Security vulnerabilities, deprecated, never use
Newtonsoft.Json default	Type names in payload break on rename
DataContractSerializer	Complex, poor versioning
XML	Verbose, slow, complex

// Define a JsonSerializerContext with all your types
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(OrderItem))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Customer))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(List<Order>))]
[JsonSourceGenerationOptions(
    PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonKnownNamingPolicy.CamelCase,
    DefaultIgnoreCondition = JsonIgnoreCondition.WhenWritingNull)]
public partial class AppJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext { }

// Serialize with context
var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);

// Deserialize with context
var order = JsonSerializer.Deserialize(json, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);

// Configure in ASP.NET Core
builder.Services.ConfigureHttpJsonOptions(options =>
{
    options.SerializerOptions.TypeInfoResolverChain.Insert(0, AppJsonContext.Default);
});

dotnet add package Google.Protobuf
dotnet add package Grpc.Tools

// orders.proto
syntax = "proto3";

message Order {
    string id = 1;
    string customer_id = 2;
    repeated OrderItem items = 3;
    int64 created_at_ticks = 4;

    // Adding new fields is always safe
    string notes = 5;  // Added in v2 - old readers ignore it
}

message OrderItem {
    string product_id = 1;
    int32 quantity = 2;
    int64 price_cents = 3;
}

// SAFE: Add new fields with new numbers
message Order {
    string id = 1;
    string customer_id = 2;
    string shipping_address = 5;  // NEW - safe
}

// SAFE: Remove fields (old readers ignore unknown, new readers use default)
// Just stop using the field, keep the number reserved
message Order {
    string id = 1;
    // customer_id removed, but field 2 is reserved
    reserved 2;
}

// UNSAFE: Change field types
message Order {
    int32 id = 1;  // Was: string - BREAKS!
}

// UNSAFE: Reuse field numbers
message Order {
    reserved 2;
    string new_field = 2;  // Reusing 2 - BREAKS!
}

dotnet add package MessagePack
dotnet add package MessagePack.Annotations

[MessagePackObject]
public sealed class Order
{
    [Key(0)]
    public required string Id { get; init; }

    [Key(1)]
    public required string CustomerId { get; init; }

    [Key(2)]
    public required IReadOnlyList<OrderItem> Items { get; init; }

    [Key(3)]
    public required DateTimeOffset CreatedAt { get; init; }

    // New field - old readers skip unknown keys
    [Key(4)]
    public string? Notes { get; init; }
}

// Serialize
var bytes = MessagePackSerializer.Serialize(order);

// Deserialize
var order = MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize<Order>(bytes);

// Use source generator for AOT
[MessagePackObject]
public partial class Order { }  // partial enables source gen

// Configure resolver
var options = MessagePackSerializerOptions.Standard
    .WithResolver(CompositeResolver.Create(
        GeneratedResolver.Instance,  // Generated
        StandardResolver.Instance));

Newtonsoft	System.Text.Json	Fix
`$type` in JSON	Not supported by default	Use discriminators or custom converters
`JsonProperty`	`JsonPropertyName`	Different attribute
`DefaultValueHandling`	`DefaultIgnoreCondition`	Different API
`NullValueHandling`	`DefaultIgnoreCondition`	Different API
Private setters	Requires `[JsonInclude]`	Explicit opt-in
Polymorphism	`[JsonDerivedType]` (.NET 7+)	Explicit discriminators

// Newtonsoft (reflection-based)
public class Order
{
    [JsonProperty("order_id")]
    public string Id { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore)]
    public string? Notes { get; set; }
}

// System.Text.Json (source-gen compatible)
public sealed record Order(
    [property: JsonPropertyName("order_id")]
    string Id,

    string? Notes  // Null handling via JsonSerializerOptions
);

[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]
[JsonSourceGenerationOptions(
    PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonKnownNamingPolicy.SnakeCaseLower,
    DefaultIgnoreCondition = JsonIgnoreCondition.WhenWritingNull)]
public partial class OrderJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext { }

// .NET 7+ polymorphism
[JsonDerivedType(typeof(CreditCardPayment), "credit_card")]
[JsonDerivedType(typeof(BankTransferPayment), "bank_transfer")]
public abstract record Payment(decimal Amount);

public sealed record CreditCardPayment(decimal Amount, string Last4) : Payment(Amount);
public sealed record BankTransferPayment(decimal Amount, string AccountNumber) : Payment(Amount);

// Serializes as:
// { "$type": "credit_card", "amount": 100, "last4": "1234" }

// Protobuf/MessagePack: Automatic - unknown fields skipped
// System.Text.Json: Configure to allow
var options = new JsonSerializerOptions
{
    UnmappedMemberHandling = JsonUnmappedMemberHandling.Skip
};

// Phase 1: Add deserializer (deployed everywhere)
public Order Deserialize(byte[] data, string manifest) => manifest switch
{
    "Order.V1" => DeserializeV1(data),
    "Order.V2" => DeserializeV2(data),  // NEW - can read V2
    _ => throw new NotSupportedException()
};

// Phase 2: Enable serializer (next release, after V1 deployed everywhere)
public (byte[] data, string manifest) Serialize(Order order) =>
    _useV2Format
        ? (SerializeV2(order), "Order.V2")
        : (SerializeV1(order), "Order.V1");

// BAD: Type name in payload - renaming class breaks wire format
{
    "$type": "MyApp.Order, MyApp.Core",
    "id": "123"
}

// GOOD: Explicit discriminator - refactoring safe
{
    "type": "order",
    "id": "123"
}

Format	Serialize	Deserialize	Size
MessagePack	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★
Protobuf	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★
System.Text.Json (source gen)	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆
System.Text.Json (reflection)	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆
Newtonsoft.Json	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆

akka {
  actor {
    serializers {
      messagepack = "Akka.Serialization.MessagePackSerializer, Akka.Serialization.MessagePack"
    }
    serialization-bindings {
      "MyApp.Messages.IMessage, MyApp" = messagepack
    }
  }
}

// Use source generators for System.Text.Json
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]
public partial class AppJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext { }

// Use explicit field numbers/keys
[MessagePackObject]
public class Order
{
    [Key(0)] public string Id { get; init; }
}

// Use records for immutable message types
public sealed record OrderCreated(OrderId Id, CustomerId CustomerId);

// Don't use BinaryFormatter (ever)
var formatter = new BinaryFormatter();  // Security risk!

// Don't embed type names in wire format
settings.TypeNameHandling = TypeNameHandling.All;  // Breaks on rename!

// Don't use reflection serialization for hot paths
JsonConvert.SerializeObject(order);  // Slow, not AOT-compatible

serialization

Summary

SKILL.md

Serialization in .NET

When to Use This Skill

Schema-Based vs Reflection-Based

Format Recommendations

Formats to Avoid

System.Text.Json with Source Generators

Setup

Usage

Benefits

Protocol Buffers (Protobuf)

Setup

Define Schema

Versioning Rules

MessagePack

Setup

Usage with Contracts

AOT-Compatible Setup

Migrating from Newtonsoft.Json

Common Issues

Migration Pattern

Polymorphism with Discriminators

Wire Compatibility Patterns

Tolerant Reader

Introduce Read Before Write

Never Embed Type Names

Performance Comparison

Akka.NET Serialization

Best Practices

DO

DON'T

Resources

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