Understanding Kotlin information serialization – LogRocket Weblog

If you create a program, it’s pure to imagine that the info will solely be utilized by that program. Nevertheless, there might come a time while you need to share your information with different applications or use information from one other supply. In these instances, you might want to serialize your information in order that it may be accessed in several codecs and by completely different applications.

Moreover, programming typically entails working with giant quantities of information. You want to retailer the info someplace to have the ability to entry it rapidly every time crucial. Not each element or system will settle for the info format you might be at present utilizing. Knowledge sharing and change is important on this age of APIs and sophisticated frameworks.

Kotlin makes use of a course of referred to as information serialization to transform information into different appropriate information codecs. This course of is essential as a result of it makes it potential so that you can ship a conveyable and appropriate information format to a different host or entity.

On this tutorial, we are going to find out about information serialization, and easy methods to serialize information in Kotlin.

To leap forward:

What’s Kotlin?

Developed by the staff behind Android at Google, the Kotlin programming language has been particularly designed for Android improvement. It’s a practical language that’s straightforward to learn and perceive, and it presents many benefits for creating Android apps.

Code written in Kotlin may be very readable, as a result of it makes use of only a few key phrases in comparison with most different programming languages. This makes it straightforward to grasp what the code is doing, which is essential when working with giant groups. This additionally means fewer bugs, as a result of the code is extra specific.

As code is extra readable and specific, it’s additionally simpler to refactor and alter if crucial. Kotlin can be 100% interoperable with Java, which implies that you should use it along with Java code in the identical venture. In different phrases, it’s very straightforward to arrange your present tasks for Kotlin by changing a number of the code to Kotlin.

Knowledge serialization in Kotlin

Knowledge serialization is the method of changing information from one format to a different. Kotlin’s kotlinx.serialization library is broadly used to serialize information. The primary secure model of the kotlinx.serialization library was launched in October 2020, and it’s repeatedly up to date. The library has a Kotlin-based API that parses JSON into type-safe Kotlin objects.

The kotlinx.serialization library is beneficial as a result of it’s Kotlin Multiplatform primarily based. It’s obtainable in Kotlin/JS and Kotlin/Native. The library is sweet at serializing singletons, information lessons, and generic lists. And, it approaches polymorphic serialization by utilizing sealed hierarchies.

The kotlinx.serialization library has a configuration DSL that permits you to configure the serialization enter and output the way in which you need. You possibly can ignore unknown keys and lenient parsing.

The library might be built-in with frameworks, akin to Ktor to attain content material negotiations. Content material negotiation happens when your software requires an appropriate useful resource presentation from the consumer. Spring MVC and Http4k even have help for the kotlinx.serialization library. The library additionally helps the next codecs:

• BSON
• XML
• YAML
• CBOR
• Properties
• HOCON
• ProtoBuf

Nevertheless, the codecs above is probably not secure when in comparison with the JSON format when serializing information utilizing the kotlinx.serialization library.

What’s information deserialization?

A benefit of serialization is that it isn’t everlasting. There’s a approach you possibly can reverse information serialization utilizing a course of referred to as information deserialization.

There are lots of causes to make use of deserialization, one cause being to learn information that was created throughout serialization. Another excuse is if you wish to create a replica of an object that was beforehand serialized. The benefit of deserialization is which you can learn information from a string or file that was beforehand saved after which convert it again right into a usable object.

Knowledge deserialization additionally permits you to learn information from different sources, akin to recordsdata, community connections, databases, or the net. There are lots of benefits to utilizing deserialization in programming. It might probably save time, cut back community visitors, and eat much less house when storing information. The method of deserialization can be used to transform information again into its unique format. This course of might be utilized to any language that helps objects and lessons.

implement serialization in Kotlin

On this part, we are going to find out how information serialization works in Kotlin by utilizing capabilities from the kotlinx.serialization library.

To start out utilizing kotlinx.serialization in your venture, merely add the compiler plugin and runtime library to your venture. In your construct.gradle (app degree), add the next entry to the plugin block:

apply plugin: 'kotlinx-serialization'

Now, add the next dependency within the construct.gradle (app degree):

implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-serialization-json:1.2.2"

Subsequent, add the runtime library dependency to the dependencies block in your construct.gradle (venture degree) file:

classpath 'com.android.instruments.construct:gradle:7.0.2'
classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlin_version"
classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-serialization:$kotlin_version"
classpath "com.google.dagger:hilt-android-gradle-plugin:$dagger_version"
classpath "androidx.navigation:navigation-safe-args-gradle-plugin:$nav_version"

Create a Kotlin file referred to as Automobile and import the next lessons from the kotlinx.serialization library:

import kotlinx.serialization.Serializable
import kotlinx.serialization.decodeFromString
import kotlinx.serialization.encodeToString
import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json

On this tutorial, we are going to create an information class referred to as Automobile that takes within the names of automobiles and converts them to the JSON format, after which reconverts them to Kotlin objects. The information class might be annotated as @Serializable to keep away from runtime errors.

The @Serializable annotation is used to point a category that serializes information. In the event you don’t add this annotation, you’ll expertise a compile time error. To exclude the fields from the serialization course of, use the @Trasient annotation.

Now, create an information class referred to as Automobile, which can take within the following values listed within the Automobile parenthesis:

@Serializable
information class Automobile(val identify: String, val mannequin:String)

Subsequent, serialize Kotlin objects to the JSON string by utilizing the encodeToString technique that’s used to transform Kotlin objects into JSON format:

 enjoyable principal() {

 val storage = Automobile("Toyota", "Hilux")
 val string = Json.encodeToString(storage)
 println(string) 

To deserialize the transformed objects, use the decodeFromString<T> technique to transform the JSON format to a Kotlin object:

val obj = Json.decodeFromString<Automobile>(string)
 println(obj)
}

In the event you run the above perform in Android Studio, you’ll get the next output, which exhibits the transformed Kotlin objects to JSON string after which reconverted again to Kotlin objects:

{"identify":"Toyota","mannequin":"Hilux"}
Automobile(identify=Toyota, mannequin=Hilux)

Course of completed with exit code 0

Advantages of information serialization

There are lots of causes it’s best to serialize your information. First, it lets you save your information in several codecs. You’ll be capable of entry that information later, even after your program has been closed. Serialization additionally permits you to share your information with others, permitting you to entry your information from wherever.

Lastly, serialization permits you to learn and perceive different codecs. For instance, let’s say you obtain information from one other firm. In the event you use the precise software program, you’ll be capable of simply learn the info and use it in your personal functions.

Disadvantages of information serialization

Serialization additionally has its disadvantages. Firstly, it takes time to carry out serialization. Your laptop might want to learn your information and put it aside in a distinct format. In case you are working with a considerable amount of information, this may occasionally take a while.

You additionally must be cautious when serializing delicate information. This could embody monetary data or different information that you simply don’t need folks to see. In the event you save this information in a file and share it with others, they’ll have entry to it.

Conclusion

On this tutorial, you realized easy methods to serialize and deserialize information in Kotlin utilizing the kotlinx.serialization library. We explored the numerous the explanation why it’s best to think about information serialization, in addition to a number of the disadvantages related to serialization. Ultimately, it comes right down to desire whether or not you select to save lots of your information in a format that people can learn or one which solely computer systems can perceive.