Binary Serialization
Binary serialization is a process of converting data structures or object states into a binary format (a sequence of bytes) for storage or transmission. It enables efficient data persistence, network communication, and inter-process communication by representing complex data in a compact, platform-independent way. This contrasts with text-based serialization formats like JSON or XML, which are human-readable but less space-efficient.
Developers should use binary serialization when performance, bandwidth, or storage efficiency is critical, such as in high-frequency trading systems, game development for saving game states, or distributed systems where data needs to be transmitted quickly over networks. It's also essential for scenarios requiring low-latency communication, like real-time applications or embedded systems, where parsing overhead must be minimized.