Object serialization XML vs java serialization

[plasticfloor]

I was wondering are there really advantages to using XML serialization
for object or is it just an xml hype?

 

[Matt Humphrey]

I was wondering are there really advantages to using XML serialization
for object or is it just an xml hype?

I use XML serialization because
it's no more difficult than binary serialization,
I can read (view directly) the results as text when needed,
I can manually edit the serialized data
I can transform serialized data using XSL
I worry less that changes to Java will invalidate the serialization
It transfers easily across HTTP
I usually (but not always) don't care that it might be larger or a
little slower

Cheers,
Matt Humphrey (e-mail address removed) http://www.iviz.com/

 

[Andrew McDonagh]

I use XML serialization because
it's no more difficult than binary serialization,
I can read (view directly) the results as text when needed,
I can manually edit the serialized data
I can transform serialized data using XSL
I worry less that changes to Java will invalidate the serialization
It transfers easily across HTTP
I usually (but not always) don't care that it might be larger or a
little slower

Cheers,
Matt Humphrey (e-mail address removed) http://www.iviz.com/

Seconded, plus:

it allows for schema evolution (i.e. should we later change the class,
we can easily change the XML to suit the new version).

Its JVM version independent.

 

[hawat.thufir]

Matt Humphrey wrote:
[...]

I can read (view directly) the results as text when needed,

[...]

Not that you'd often want to, but that capability sounds good


-Thufir