Discover the Serializer component

The Symfony’s Serializer component exists since version 2 of Symfony, but lately it has been improved and includes a lot of new features.

During this talk, I’ll present the unknown but very powerful features of this library.

After a reminder of the basics, we’ll discover how the component enables the use of any type of PHP object, whatever their styles : getters / setters, public properties, proxys…

Then, we’ll see the different formats natively supported : JSON, XML, YAML and CSV. We’ll also use dates, and mention the file upload with the « data : URI » support.

Finally, we’ll study more complex cases such as choosing the properties to serialize / unserialize thanks to groups, managing circular references, serializing trees by limiting their depth and updating the existing objects.

Transcript

1. DISCOVER THE SERIALIZER COMPONENT Sarah Khalil @saro0h
2. WHAT’S THE PLAN? 1. Serialization? What’s that? 2. Architecture of the Serializer component 3. Usage of the Serializer component in Symfony full stack
3. A BIT OF HISTORY FIRST
4. “Before 2.7:
6. “From Symfony 2.7 & next Tons of new features … and keeps counting Better integration with other libraries As powerful as the JMSSerializer!
7. “From Symfony 2.7 & next Tons of new features … and keeps counting Better integration with other libraries As powerful as the JMSSerializer!
9. Track B
10. 1. WHAT’S THAT?
11. “Serialization is the process of translating data structure or object state into a format that can be stored and reconstructed later in the same or another computer environment. -Adapted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/serialization
12. “Serialization is the process of translating data structure or object state into a format that can be stored and reconstructed later in the same or another computer environment. -Adapted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/serialization
13. Object Formated String Basically…
14. WHICH KIND OF FORMATED STRING? Textual Human readable / editable JSON, XML… Binary Smaller, faster Protocol buffers…
15. WHEN YOU SHOULD USE SERIALIZATION? Send / Receive data thanks an API Send / Receive data through messaging system (AMQP) Detect changes (for tests for instance) Store data in database (RDBMS, Elasticsearch, Redis)
16. WHEN YOU SHOULD USE SERIALIZATION? Send / Receive data thanks an API Send / Receive data through messaging system (AMQP) Detect changes (for tests for instance) Store data in database (RDBMS, Elasticsearch, Redis)
17. Why not use PHP functions? serialize()/unserialize()
18. Why not use PHP functions? serialize()/unserialize() Powerful but not easily configurable
19. “Here comes the Serializer component!
20. “Here comes the Serializer component!
21. 2. WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE SYMFONY SERIALIZER?
22. 2. Component’s architecture
23. Normalizers 2. Component’s architecture
24. Normalizers Encoders 2. Component’s architecture
25. Normalizers Encoders Serializer 2. Component’s architecture
26. Let’s talk about Normalizers (and Denormalizers) 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
27. OBJECT NORMALIZER (FROM OBJECT TO ARRAY) GetSetMethodNormalizer Uses getters and setters PropertyNormalizer Uses Reflection CustomNormalizer Uses $object->normalize(); ObjectNormalizer Uses PropertyAccess Component 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
28. OBJECT NORMALIZER (FROM OBJECT TO ARRAY) GetSetMethodNormalizer Uses getters and setters PropertyNormalizer Uses Reflection CustomNormalizer Uses $object->normalize(); ObjectNormalizer Uses PropertyAccess Component Take a look at the other existing Normalizers 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
29. COOL EXTRA NORMALIZER DataUriNormalizer Turns SplFileInfo into data:uri 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
30. NORMALIZER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
31. DENORMALIZER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Normalizer
32. Let’s talk about Encoders (and Decoders) 2. Component’s architecture > Encoder
33. NATIVE ENCODERS (FROM ARRAY TO YOUR CHOSEN FORMAT) JsonEncoder XmlEncoder CsvEncoder YamlEncoder 2. Component’s architecture > Encoder
34. ENCODER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Encoder
35. DECODER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Encoder
36. Let’s talk about Serializers (and Deserializers) 2. Component’s architecture > Serializer
37. CREATE YOUR SERIALIZER 2. Component’s architecture > Serializer
38. SERIALIZER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Serializer
39. DESERIALIZER USAGE 2. Component’s architecture > Serializer
40. 3. USE THE SERIALIZER IN SYMFONY FULL STACK
41. https://github.com/symfony/symfony-demo 3. Serializer usage
42. FIRST STEP: ENABLE THE COMPONENT 3. Serializer usage
43. “Let’s build an API on top of symfony demo app 3. Serializer usage
44. “Let’s build an API on top of symfony demo app 3. Serializer usage
45. “ It’s all about serialization and deserialization 3. Serializer usage
46. SERIALIZATION
47. CREATE A CONTROLLER 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
48. 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
49. 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
50. WHAT WE WANT WHEN SERIALIZED 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
51. Let’s see how it’s easy! CONFIGURATION: 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
52. Let’s see how it’s easy! CONFIGURATION: 1. Groups of serialization 2. Name converter 3. Max depth 4. Add more information to your presentation 3. Serializer usage> Serialization
53. Groups of serialization CONFIGURATION TIPS 1/4: 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (1/4)
54. GROUPS OF SERIALIZATION Choose which properties is going to be (de)serialized Use cases: For read / write access For security (public, connected user, admin user) For API versionning 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (1/4)
55. Configuration in your Entity 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (1/4)
56. Use your groups for the serialization 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (1/4)
57. [ { "id": 31, "publishedAt": "2017-03-22T19:10:11+01:00", "summary": "This is the summary", "title": "This is the title #31" }, { "id": 32, "publishedAt": "2017-03-21T19:10:11+01:00", "summary": "This is the summary", "title": "This is the title #32" } LET’S SEE THE RESULT 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (1/4)
58. Name Converter CONFIGURATION TIPS 2/4: 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (2/4)
59. 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (2/4)
60. [ { "id": 31, "published_at": "2017-03-22T19:10:11+01:00", "summary": "This is the summary", "title": "This is the title #31" }, { "id": 32, "published_at": "2017-03-21T19:10:11+01:00", "summary": "This is the summary", "title": "This is the title #32" } LET’S SEE THE RESULT 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (2/4)
65. Max Depth CONFIGURATION TIPS 3/4: 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (3/4)
66. 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (3/4)
69. Add more data with Custom Object Normalizer CONFIGURATION TIPS 4/4: 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
70. CUSTOM OBJECT NORMALIZER Allows you to tweak the normalization 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
71. CUSTOM OBJECT NORMALIZER Allows you to tweak the normalization 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
72. CUSTOM OBJECT NORMALIZER Allows you to tweak at PHP level the normalization Add or remove some data, for instance: computed data (total number of comments, canonical URL…) Hypermedia! 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
73. 1/3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
74. 1/3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
75. 2/3 * call the normalize() method, and then do whatever you want with the result 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
76. 3/3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
77. LET’S SEE THE RESULT 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Configuration tips (4/4)
78. ONE LAST COOL THING WITH SERIALIZATION CIRCULAR REFERENCES 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
79. ONE LAST COOL THING WITH SERIALIZATION CIRCULAR REFERENCES 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
82. USE CASE By default, when serializing the Post object, an exception will be thrown because of the circular reference. 1 0..n Comment Post $post Post 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
83. USE CASE By default, when serializing the Post object, an exception will be thrown because of the circular reference. 1 0..n Comment Post $post Post 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
84. 1/3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
85. 2/3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
86. 2/3 Before 3.3 From 3.3 3. Serializer usage> Serialization > Circular reference
87. DESERIALIZATION
88. COMMON WAY OF DESERIALIZING 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization
89. “Validate your data! 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
90. “Validate your data! 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
91. VALIDATE DATA! 1/2 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
92. VALIDATE DATA! 2/2 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
93. MANAGE THE SERIALISATION OF ConstraintViolationList 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
94. MANAGE THE SERIALISATION OF ConstraintViolationList Shipped with 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
95. LET’S SEE THE RESULT IF THE DATA ARE NOT VALID 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
96. LET’S SEE THE RESULT IF THE DATA ARE VALID 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > Validation
97. DESERIALIZE INTO AN OBJECT 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > In object
98. DESERIALIZE OF ARRAY 3. Serializer usage> Deserialization > In array
99. TO SUM UP
100. TO SUM UP
102. Use groups Create normalizers for each serialized entity Manage circular references
103. Use groups Create normalizers for each serialized entity Manage circular references
104. @catlannister Thank you! * Thanks to @lyrixx