
serialization
JSON and binary serialization patterns for .NET applications, including System.Text.Json source generators, Protocol Buffers, MessagePack, and AOT-compatible best practices. Use when configuring JSON serialization, choosing between formats, implementing Protocol Buffers for high-performance scenarios, or working with Native AOT.
- Installs
- 527
- Last 24h
- —
- Trending rank
- —
- Security
- Not audited
Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/wshaddix/dotnet-skills --skill serialization- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads serialization automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
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
Serialization Format Comparison
| Format | Library | AOT-Safe | Human-Readable | Relative Size | Relative Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSON | System.Text.Json (source gen) | Yes | Yes | Largest | Good | APIs, config, web clients |
| Protobuf | Google.Protobuf | Yes | No | Smallest | Fastest | Service-to-service, gRPC wire format |
| MessagePack | MessagePack-CSharp | Yes (with AOT resolver) | No | Small | Fast | High-throughput caching, real-time |
| JSON | Newtonsoft.Json | No (reflection) | Yes | Largest | Slower | Legacy only -- do not use for AOT |
When to Choose What
- System.Text.Json with source generators: Default choice for APIs, configuration, and any scenario where human-readable output or web client consumption matters. AOT-safe.
- Protobuf: Default wire format for gRPC. Best throughput and smallest payload size for service-to-service communication. Schema-first development with
.protofiles. - MessagePack: When you need binary compactness without
.protoschema management. Good for caching layers, real-time messaging, and high-throughput scenarios.
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.
Formats to Avoid
| 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 |
System.Text.Json with Source Generators
For JSON serialization, use System.Text.Json with source generators for AOT compatibility and performance.
Basic Setup
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(List<Order>))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(OrderStatus))]
public partial class AppJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext
{
}
Using the Generated Context
// Serialize
string json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);
// Deserialize
Order? result = JsonSerializer.Deserialize(json, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);
// With options
var options = new JsonSerializerOptions
{
PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonNamingPolicy.CamelCase,
TypeInfoResolver = AppJsonContext.Default
};
string json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order, options);
ASP.NET Core Integration
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Minimal APIs
builder.Services.ConfigureHttpJsonOptions(options =>
{
options.SerializerOptions.TypeInfoResolverChain.Insert(0, AppJsonContext.Default);
});
// MVC Controllers
builder.Services.AddControllers()
.AddJsonOptions(options =>
{
options.JsonSerializerOptions.TypeInfoResolverChain.Insert(0, AppJsonContext.Default);
});
Combining Multiple Contexts
builder.Services.ConfigureHttpJsonOptions(options =>
{
options.SerializerOptions.TypeInfoResolver = JsonTypeInfoResolver.Combine(
AppJsonContext.Default,
CatalogJsonContext.Default,
InventoryJsonContext.Default
);
});
Common Configuration
[JsonSourceGenerationOptions(
PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonKnownNamingPolicy.CamelCase,
DefaultIgnoreCondition = JsonIgnoreCondition.WhenWritingNull,
WriteIndented = false)]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]
[JsonSerializable(typeof(List<Order>))]
public partial class AppJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext
{
}
Handling Polymorphism
[JsonDerivedType(typeof(CreditCardPayment), "credit_card")]
[JsonDerivedType(typeof(BankTransferPayment), "bank_transfer")]
[JsonDerivedType(typeof(WalletPayment), "wallet")]
public abstract class Payment
{
public decimal Amount { get; init; }
public string Currency { get; init; } = "USD";
}
public class CreditCardPayment : Payment
{
public string Last4Digits { get; init; } = "";
}
[JsonSerializable(typeof(Payment))]
public partial class AppJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext
{
}
Protocol Buffers (Protobuf)
Best for: Actor systems, gRPC, event sourcing, any long-lived wire format.
Packages
<PackageReference Include="Google.Protobuf" Version="3.*" />
<PackageReference Include="Grpc.Tools" Version="2.*" PrivateAssets="All" />
Proto File
syntax = "proto3";
import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto";
option csharp_namespace = "MyApp.Contracts";
message OrderMessage {
int32 id = 1;
string customer_id = 2;
repeated OrderItemMessage items = 3;
google.protobuf.Timestamp created_at = 4;
}
message OrderItemMessage {
string product_id = 1;
int32 quantity = 2;
double unit_price = 3;
}
Standalone Protobuf (Without gRPC)
using Google.Protobuf;
// Serialize to bytes
byte[] bytes = order.ToByteArray();
// Deserialize from bytes
var restored = OrderMessage.Parser.ParseFrom(bytes);
// Serialize to stream
using var stream = File.OpenWrite("order.bin");
order.WriteTo(stream);
Proto File Registration in .csproj
<ItemGroup>
<Protobuf Include="Protos\*.proto" GrpcServices="Both" />
</ItemGroup>
Versioning Rules
// 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 (keep the number reserved)
message Order {
string id = 1;
reserved 2; // customer_id removed
}
// 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!
}
MessagePack
Best for: High-performance scenarios, compact payloads, actor messaging.
Packages
<PackageReference Include="MessagePack" Version="3.*" />
<PackageReference Include="MessagePack.SourceGenerator" Version="3.*" />
Basic Usage with Source Generator (AOT-Safe)
using MessagePack;
[MessagePackObject]
public partial class Order
{
[Key(0)]
public int Id { get; init; }
[Key(1)]
public string CustomerId { get; init; } = "";
[Key(2)]
public List<OrderItem> Items { get; init; } = [];
[Key(3)]
public DateTimeOffset CreatedAt { get; init; }
[Key(4)]
public string? Notes { get; init; }
}
Serialization
// Serialize
byte[] bytes = MessagePackSerializer.Serialize(order);
// Deserialize
var restored = MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize<Order>(bytes);
// With compression (LZ4)
var lz4Options = MessagePackSerializerOptions.Standard.WithCompression(
MessagePackCompression.Lz4BlockArray);
byte[] compressed = MessagePackSerializer.Serialize(order, lz4Options);
AOT Resolver Setup
MessagePackSerializer.DefaultOptions = MessagePackSerializerOptions.Standard
.WithResolver(GeneratedResolver.Instance);
Wire Compatibility Patterns
Tolerant Reader
Old code must safely ignore unknown fields:
// Protobuf/MessagePack: Automatic - unknown fields skipped
// System.Text.Json: Configure to allow
var options = new JsonSerializerOptions
{
UnmappedMemberHandling = JsonUnmappedMemberHandling.Skip
};
Introduce Read Before Write
Deploy deserializers before serializers for new formats:
// 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 (after V1 deployed everywhere)
public (byte[] data, string manifest) Serialize(Order order) =>
_useV2Format
? (SerializeV2(order), "Order.V2")
: (SerializeV1(order), "Order.V1");
Never Embed Type Names
// BAD: Type name in payload - renaming class breaks wire format
{
"$type": "MyApp.Order, MyApp",
"id": 123
}
// GOOD: Explicit discriminator - refactoring safe
{
"type": "order",
"id": 123
}
Performance Comparison
Approximate throughput (higher is better):
| Format | Serialize | Deserialize | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| MessagePack | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Protobuf | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| System.Text.Json (source gen) | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| System.Text.Json (reflection) | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Newtonsoft.Json | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Optimization Tips
- Reuse
JsonSerializerOptions-- creating options is expensive - Use
JsonSerializerContext-- eliminates warm-up cost - Use
Utf8JsonWriter/Utf8JsonReaderfor streaming scenarios - Use Protobuf
ByteStringfor binary data instead of base64-encoded strings - Enable MessagePack LZ4 compression for large payloads
Anti-Patterns: Reflection-Based Serialization
Do not use reflection-based serializers in Native AOT or trimming scenarios.
Newtonsoft.Json (JsonConvert)
// BAD: Reflection-based -- fails under AOT/trimming
var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(order);
var order = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Order>(json);
// GOOD: Source-generated -- AOT-safe
var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);
var order = JsonSerializer.Deserialize(json, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);
System.Text.Json Without Source Generators
// BAD: No context -- uses runtime reflection
var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order);
// GOOD: Explicit context -- uses source-generated code
var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(order, AppJsonContext.Default.Order);
Migration Path from Newtonsoft.Json
- Replace
JsonConvert.SerializeObject/DeserializeObjectwithJsonSerializer.Serialize/Deserialize - Replace
[JsonProperty]with[JsonPropertyName] - Replace
JsonConverterbase class withJsonConverter<T>from System.Text.Json - Create a
JsonSerializerContextwith[JsonSerializable]for all serialized types - Replace
JObject/JTokendynamic access withJsonDocument/JsonElementor strongly-typed models - Test serialization round-trips -- attribute semantics differ
Akka.NET Serialization
For Akka.NET actor systems, use schema-based serialization:
akka {
actor {
serializers {
messagepack = "Akka.Serialization.MessagePackSerializer, Akka.Serialization.MessagePack"
}
serialization-bindings {
"MyApp.Messages.IMessage, MyApp" = messagepack
}
}
}
Key Principles
- Default to System.Text.Json with source generators for all JSON serialization
- Use Protobuf for service-to-service binary serialization
- Use MessagePack for high-throughput caching and real-time
- Never use Newtonsoft.Json for new AOT-targeted projects
- Always register
JsonSerializerContextin ASP.NET Core - Annotate all serialized types -- source generators only generate code for listed types
Agent Gotchas
- Do not use
JsonSerializer.Serialize(obj)without a context in AOT projects -- it falls back to reflection. - Do not forget to list collection types in
[JsonSerializable]--[JsonSerializable(typeof(Order))]does not coverList<Order>. - Do not use Newtonsoft.Json
[JsonProperty]attributes with System.Text.Json -- they are silently ignored. - Do not mix MessagePack
[Key]integer keys with[Key]string keys in the same type hierarchy. - Do not omit
GrpcServicesattribute on<Protobuf>items -- without it, both client and server stubs are generated.
Resources
- System.Text.Json Source Generation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/serialization/system-text-json/source-generation
- Migrate from Newtonsoft.Json to System.Text.Json: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/serialization/system-text-json/migrate-from-newtonsoft
- Protocol Buffers: https://protobuf.dev/
- MessagePack-CSharp: https://github.com/MessagePack-CSharp/MessagePack-CSharp
- Akka.NET Serialization: https://getakka.net/articles/networking/serialization.html
- Wire Compatibility: https://getakka.net/community/contributing/wire-compatibility.html
- Native AOT deployment: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/deploying/native-aot/
FAQ
What does the serialization skill do?
JSON and binary serialization patterns for .NET applications, including System.Text.Json source generators, Protocol Buffers, MessagePack, and AOT-compatible best practices. Use when configuring JSON serialization, choosing between formats, implementing Protocol Buffers for high-performance scenarios, or working with Native AOT.
How do I install serialization?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/wshaddix/dotnet-skills --skill serialization in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/serialization/ (personal) or .claude/skills/serialization/ (project).
Which AI agents can use serialization?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is serialization safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains serialization?
It is published by wshaddix in wshaddix/dotnet-skills. It has 527 recorded installs.
More from wshaddix/dotnet-skills
dotnet-xunit
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Writing xUnit tests. v3 Fact/Theory, fixtures, parallelism, IAsyncLifetime, v2 compatibility.
dotnet-testing-strategy
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Deciding how to test .NET code. Unit vs integration vs E2E decision tree, test doubles.
modern-csharp-coding-standards
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Write modern, high-performance C code using records, pattern matching, value objects, async/await, Span /Memory , and best-practice API design patterns. Emphasizes functional-style programming with C 12+ features. Use when writing new C code or refactoring existing code, designing public APIs for libraries or services, optimizing performance-critical code paths, or building async/await-heavy applications.
csharp-wolverinefx
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Build .NET applications with WolverineFX for messaging, HTTP services, and event sourcing. Use when implementing command handlers, message handlers, HTTP endpoints with WolverineFx.HTTP, transactional outbox patterns, event sourcing with Marten, CQRS architectures, cascading messages, batch message processing, or configuring transports like RabbitMQ, Azure Service Bus, or Amazon SQS.
testcontainers
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Patterns for using Testcontainers in .NET integration tests to spin up real dependencies like databases and message queues. Use when writing integration tests that require real databases, testing with message brokers like RabbitMQ or Kafka, or isolating test dependencies with Docker containers.
microsoft-extensions-dependency-injection
wshaddix/dotnet-skills
Dependency injection patterns and best practices using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection for .NET applications. Use when configuring DI containers in .NET, choosing between service lifetimes (Singleton, Scoped, Transient), or implementing decorator patterns and service interception.
Popular backend & apis skills
find-skills
vercel-labs/skills
Helps users discover and install agent skills when they ask questions like "how do I do X", "find a skill for X", "is there a skill that can...", or express interest in extending capabilities. This skill should be used when the user is looking for functionality that might exist as an installable skill.
entra-app-registration
microsoft/azure-skills
Guides Microsoft Entra ID app registration, OAuth 2.0 authentication, and MSAL integration. USE FOR: create app registration, register Azure AD app, configure OAuth, set up authentication, add API permissions, generate service principal, MSAL example, console app auth, Entra ID setup, Azure AD authentication. DO NOT USE FOR: Key Vault secrets (use azure-keyvault-expiration-audit), general Azure resource security guidance.
google-agents-cli-adk-code
google/agents-cli
This skill should be used when the user wants to "write agent code", "build an agent with ADK", "add a tool", "create a callback", "define an agent", "use state management" — in a project that needs ADK (Agent Development Kit) API patterns and code examples. It provides a quick reference for agent types, tool definitions, orchestration patterns, callbacks, state management, the graph Workflow API, and reference recipes to study. Do NOT use for scaffolding (use google-agents-cli-scaffold) or deployment (use google-agents-cli-deploy).
embedded-captions
heygen-com/hyperframes
Add captions or subtitles to an existing single-subject talking-head video without editing the footage. Use for plain verbatim captions, cinematic captions embedded behind the subject, VFX captions, “炸/特效/酷炫字幕,” or a named identity from the 35-style catalog. Route by visual identity, not by backend engine. The quiet anchor rail is the default; embed every word only when the user explicitly wants a fully cinematic treatment. The workflow runs locally end to end, including transcription and subject matting; split multi-shot footage before applying it.
entra-agent-id
microsoft/azure-skills
Provision Microsoft Entra Agent Identity Blueprints, BlueprintPrincipals, and per-instance Agent Identities via Microsoft Graph, and configure OAuth 2.0 token exchange (fmipath, OBO, cross-tenant) including the Microsoft Entra SDK for AgentID sidecar. USE FOR: Agent Identity Blueprint, BlueprintPrincipal, agent OAuth, fmipath token exchange, agent OBO, Workload Identity Federation for agents, polyglot agent auth, Microsoft.Identity.Web.AgentIdentities. DO NOT USE FOR: standard Entra app registration (use entra-app-registration), Microsoft Foundry agent authoring (use microsoft-foundry).
neon
neondatabase/agent-skills
Overview of Neon, a complete set of cloud backend primitives around Lakebase Postgres: Auth, Object Storage, Functions, the AI Gateway, and Realtime. Start here to choose Neon for undecided login, files, APIs, and LLM calls, set up the CLI or MCP server, and follow the branch-first workflow. Use when building an app or backend on Neon, or when "Neon" or "Lakebase Postgres" is mentioned. Child skill neon-postgres wins for an existing DATABASEURL, SQL, schema, inspect, or search. Child skill neon-auth wins for login, users, sessions, identity routing, and Managed Better Auth setup. Child skill neon-realtime wins for live queries in reactive apps and agents. Also use for object storage, S3, buckets, serverless functions, function triggers, cron, AI gateway, LLM calls, realtime, logs, Loki, Grafana, observability, postgres, database, backend, Claimable Neon, neon.new, or a no-signup database.