CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaserialization
Punter Vicky
Punter Vicky

Reputation: 17032

Java Serialised object vs Non serialised object

1) Can a non-serialised java object be sent over the network to be executed by another JVM or stored in local file storage to get the data restored? 2) What is the difference between serialising and storing the java object vs storing the java object without serialising it?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 3191

Answers (4)

seand
seand

Reputation: 5296

The purpose of serialization is to store the state of objects in a self contained way that doesn't require raw memory references, run time state etc. In other words, objects can be represented as a string of bits that can be stored on disk, sent over a network etc.

Upvotes: 1

Mark Bramnik
Mark Bramnik

Reputation: 42541

Serialization is a way to represent a java object as a series of bytes. Its just a format nothing more. A "build-in" java serialization is a class that provides an API for conversion of the java object to a series of bytes. That's it. Of course, deserialization is a "complementary" process that allows to convert this binary stream back to the object.

The serialization/deserialization itself has nothing to do with the "sending over the network" thing. Its just convenient to send a binary stream that can be created from the object with the serialization.

Even more, sometimes the built-in serialization is not an optimal way to get the binary stream, because sometimes the object can be converted by using less bytes.

So you can use you're custom protocol, provide your own customization for serialization (for example, Externalizable)

or even use third party libraries like Apache Avro

I think this effectively answers both of your questions:

  1. You can turn the non-serialized object (I guess the one that doesn't implement "Serializable" interface) to the series of bytes (byte stream) by yourself if you want and then send it over the network, store in a binary file, whatsoever. Of course you'll have to understand how to read this binary format for converting back.

  2. Since serialization is just a protocol of conversion and not a "storage related thing", the answer is obvious.

Hope this helps.

Upvotes: 4

Juned Ahsan
Juned Ahsan

Reputation: 68715

1) Can a non-serialised java object be sent over the network to be executed by another JVM or stored in local file storage to get the data restored?

An object is marshalled using ObjectOutputStream to be sent over the wire. Serialization is a Java standard way of storing the state of an object. You can devise your own of doing the same but there is no point re-inventing the wheel unless you see a big problem in the standard way.

2) What is the difference between serialising and storing the java object vs storing the java object without serialising it?

Serialization stores the state of the object using ObjectOuputStream and can de de-serialized using ObjectInputStream. Serialized object can be saved to a file or can be sent over the network. Serialization is the standard way to achieve all this. But you can always invent your ways to do so if you really have a point to.

Upvotes: 1

Rogue
Rogue

Reputation: 11483

In short, you don't store a non-serialized object in java. So I would say no to both questions.

Edit: ObjectOutputStream and ObjectInputStream can write primitives as well as serializable objects, if that's what you are using.

Upvotes: 1

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