serialize-to-js

What is serialize-to-js?

The serialize-to-js npm package is used to serialize JavaScript objects into a string format that can be deserialized back into the original object. This is particularly useful for saving the state of an object, transferring data between different parts of an application, or sending data over a network.

What are serialize-to-js's main functionalities?

Basic Serialization

This feature allows you to convert a JavaScript object into a serialized string. The code sample demonstrates how to serialize a simple object with properties 'name' and 'age'.

const serialize = require('serialize-to-js');
const obj = { name: 'John', age: 30 };
const serialized = serialize(obj);
console.log(serialized);

Deserialization

This feature allows you to convert a serialized string back into a JavaScript object. The code sample demonstrates how to deserialize a string back into an object with properties 'name' and 'age'.

const serialize = require('serialize-to-js');
const serialized = '({ name: "John", age: 30 })';
const obj = eval(serialized);
console.log(obj);

Handling Functions

This feature allows you to serialize objects that contain functions. The code sample demonstrates how to serialize an object with a method 'greet'.

const serialize = require('serialize-to-js');
const obj = { greet: function() { return 'Hello'; } };
const serialized = serialize(obj);
console.log(serialized);

Other packages similar to serialize-to-js

json-stringify-safe

The json-stringify-safe package provides a way to safely stringify objects that contain circular references. Unlike serialize-to-js, it focuses on handling circular references rather than serializing functions or other complex data types.

circular-json

The circular-json package is another option for serializing objects with circular references. It is similar to json-stringify-safe but offers different methods for handling circular structures. It does not support serializing functions like serialize-to-js.

flatted

The flatted package is designed to serialize and deserialize JavaScript objects containing circular references. It is a more modern alternative to circular-json and json-stringify-safe, but it does not support serializing functions or other complex data types like serialize-to-js.

README

serialize-to-js

serialize objects to javascript

Serialize objects into a require-able module while checking circular structures and respecting references.

The following Objects are supported

• String
• Number
• Boolean
• Object
• Array
• RegExp
• Error
• Date
• Buffer
• Int8Array, Uint8Array, Uint8ClampedArray
• Int16Array, Uint16Array
• Int32Array, Uint32Array, Float32Array
• Float64Array

Table of Contents

• Methods
  • serialize
  • deserialize
  • serializeToModule
• Contribution and License Agreement
• License

Methods

serialize

serialize(source, opts, opts.ignoreCircular, opts.reference)

serializes an object to javascript

Example - serializing regex, date, buffer, ...

var serialize = require('serialize-to-js').serialize;
var obj = {
  str: '<script>var a = 0 > 1</script>',
  num: 3.1415,
  bool: true,
  nil: null,
  undef: undefined,
  obj: { foo: 'bar' },
  arr: [1, '2'],
  regexp: /^test?$/,
  date: new Date(),
  buffer: Buffer.from('data'),
}
console.log(serialize(obj))
// > {str: "\u003Cscript\u003Evar a = 0 \u003E 1\u003C\u002Fscript\u003E", num: 3.1415, bool: true, nil: null, undef: undefined, obj: {foo: "bar"}, arr: [1, "2"], regexp: /^test?$/, date: new Date("2016-04-15T16:22:52.009Z"), buffer: new Buffer('ZGF0YQ==', 'base64')}

Example - serializing while respecting references

var serialize = require('serialize-to-js').serialize;
var obj = { object: { regexp: /^test?$/ } };
obj.reference = obj.object;
var opts = { reference: true };
console.log(serialize(obj, opts));
//> {object: {regexp: /^test?$/}}
console.log(opts.references);
//> [ [ '.reference', '.object' ] ]

Parameters

source: Object | Array | function | Any, source to serialize

opts: Object, options

opts.ignoreCircular: Boolean, ignore circular objects

opts.reference: Boolean, reference instead of a copy (requires post-processing of opts.references)

opts.unsafe: Boolean, do not escape chars <>/

Returns: String, serialized representation of source

deserialize

deserialize(str, [context])

deserialize a serialized object to javascript

NOTE: Deserialization uses new Function() for code evaluation which may be "harmful". SO NOW YOU ARE WARNED!

Uses safer-eval for deserialization.

Example - deserializing regex, date, ...

var str = '{obj: {foo: "bar"}, arr: [1, "2"], regexp: /^test?$/, date: new Date("2016-04-15T16:22:52.009Z")}'
var res = deserialize(str)
console.log(res)
//> { obj: { foo: 'bar' },
//>   arr: [ 1, '2' ],
//>   regexp: /^test?$/,
//>   date: Sat Apr 16 2016 01:22:52 GMT+0900 (JST) }

Parameters

str: String, string containing serialized data

context: (optional) pass context e.g. if requiring Buffer use {Buffer: Buffer}.

Returns: Any, deserialized data

serializeToModule

serializeToModule(source, opts, opts.ignoreCircular, opts.reference, opts.comment, opts.beautify)

serialize to a module which can be requireed.

Example - serializing while respecting references

var serialTM = require('serialize-to-js').serializeToModule;
var obj = { object: { regexp: /^test?$/ } };
obj.reference = obj.object;
console.log(serialTM(obj, { reference: true }));
//> var m = module.exports = {
//>     object: {
//>         regexp: /^test?$/
//>     }
//> };
//> m.reference = m.object;

Parameters

source: Object | Array | function | Any, source to serialize

opts: Object, options

opts.ignoreCircular: Boolean, ignore circular objects

opts.reference: Boolean, reference instead of a copy (requires post-processing of opts.references)

opts.comment: Boolean, add a comments - useful for linting tools e.g. using 'eslint-disable'

opts.beautify: Boolean | Object, beautify output - default is false. If Object then use je-beautify options.

opts.unsafe: Boolean, do not escape chars <>/

Returns: String, serialized representation of source as module

Contribution and License Agreement

If you contribute code to this project, you are implicitly allowing your code to be distributed under the MIT license. You are also implicitly verifying that all code is your original work or correctly attributed with the source of its origin and licence.

License

Copyright (c) 2016- commenthol (MIT License)

See LICENSE for more info.