Overview of Serialization¶

Serialization turns a value into bytes, and deserialization reconstructs a value from bytes. Quxlang expresses both operations with reserved member functions and iterator arguments, so user-defined types can participate in the same protocol as built-in types.

Writing and reading one value¶

::byte_value STRUCT
{
  .value VAR BYTE;

  .SERIALIZE FUNCTION(@OUTPUT_ITERATOR:output MUT& AUTO(it))
  {
    (output++)-> := .value;
  }

  .DESERIALIZE FUNCTION(@INPUT_ITERATOR:input CONST=>>BYTE)
  {
    .value := input->;
  }
}

.SERIALIZE writes through @OUTPUT_ITERATOR. .DESERIALIZE reads through @INPUT_ITERATOR. Postfix ++ advances an iterator, while -> accesses the current byte.

Constructing from serialized input¶

A deserializing constructor builds a value directly from an input iterator:

.CONSTRUCTOR FUNCTION(@DESERIALIZE_INPUT_ITERATOR:input CONST=>>BYTE)
{
  .value := input->;
}

This is useful when an object cannot or should not be default-constructed before its fields are read.

Generating field-wise operations¶

SERIALOID requests serialization of a structure's fields in declaration order:

::record STRUCT SERIALOID
{
  .first VAR BYTE;
  .second VAR BOOL;
}

Every stored field must itself be serializable. For a representation that needs versioning, validation, or a different field order, write explicit members instead.

Serialization uses the exact static type. Polymorphic structs do not receive automatic serialization from inheritance; see Inheritance.

Built-in integers serialize least-significant byte first. Arrays serialize in index order. Enums and flagsets also validate their declared representations when they are deserialized.

Variable-width integer formats are introduced under Integer Serialization. Compile-time strings built through this protocol are introduced under Stringlike Types.

Reference¶

See the Serialization Reference for exact representations, generated-structure behavior, and invalid operations.