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C# Tested Serializers

Complete reference for all 38 serializers included in the benchmark suite, organized by category.

Table of Contents

Microsoft Built-in

BinarySerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Microsoft's legacy binary formatter. Simple binary serialization for .NET objects.
  • Limitations: Limited type support, security concerns with untrusted data.

DataContractSerializer

  • Type: XML
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Microsoft's WCF-era serializer. Uses DataContract attributes for explicit schema control.
  • Best For: WCF services, interop scenarios requiring explicit contracts.

DataContractJsonSerializer

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: JSON variant of DataContractSerializer. Part of .NET framework.
  • Best For: WCF REST services, Microsoft stack compatibility.

XmlSerializer

  • Type: XML
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Classic .NET XML serializer. Requires public parameterless constructors.
  • Best For: XML-based APIs, SOAP services, configuration files.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

JSON Serializers

JsonNetSerializer (Newtonsoft.Json)

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: The most popular .NET JSON library. Extensive feature set including LINQ support.
  • Best For: General-purpose JSON serialization, complex object graphs, flexible configuration.

JsonNetHelperSerializer

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Newtonsoft.Json with helper optimizations for common patterns.
  • Best For: High-performance scenarios with Newtonsoft.

FastJson

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Fast, lightweight JSON serializer focused on speed.
  • Best For: Simple objects where raw speed is priority.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

Jil

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: High-performance JSON serializer using Sigil for dynamic method generation.
  • Best For: High-throughput JSON serialization, minimal allocations.
  • Limitations: Requires public setters, limited customization.

NetJSON

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Extremely fast JSON serializer with minimal overhead.
  • Best For: Maximum performance JSON serialization.

ServiceStackJsonSerializer

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Part of ServiceStack framework. Feature-rich with text-based format support.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

SpanJson

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: High-performance JSON serializer using Span for zero-allocation parsing.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

Utf8Json

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Fast JSON serializer working directly with UTF-8 bytes.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

Binary Serializers

ProtoBufSerializer (protobuf-net)

  • Type: Binary (Protocol Buffers)
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Popular .NET implementation of Google's Protocol Buffers. Compact binary format.
  • Best For: Cross-platform communication, microservices, storage efficiency.
  • Limitations: Cannot handle circular references (ObjectGraph fails).

GoogleProtobufSerializer

  • Type: Binary (Official Google)
  • Status: ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
  • Description: Official Google Protobuf library for .NET. Requires code generation from .proto files.
  • Limitations: Requires .proto schema definitions and generated code. Only types implementing IMessage are supported. Use protobuf-net for dynamic scenarios.

FsPicklerBinarySerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: F#-based serializer with excellent support for F# types and general .NET objects.
  • Best For: F# projects, complex object graphs, functional types.

FsPicklerJsonSerializer

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: JSON variant of FsPickler with same feature set.
  • Best For: F# projects needing JSON output.

HyperionSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: High-performance binary serializer from the Akka.NET team.
  • Best For: Akka.NET clusters, distributed systems, actor messaging.
  • Limitations: Can crash with StackOverflow/SegFault on very deep circular references (ObjectGraph).

NetSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Fast, compact binary serializer with minimal overhead.
  • Limitations: Crashes on circular references (ObjectGraph).

SharpSerializer

  • Type: Binary/XML
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Versatile serializer supporting both binary and XML output. Good for property-level control.
  • Best For: Applications needing format flexibility, property-level serialization control.

ApexSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: High-performance binary serializer with advanced features.
  • Limitations: Crashes on circular references (ObjectGraph).

XML Serializers

ExtendedXmlSerializer

  • Type: XML
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked only with Integer
  • Description: Advanced XML serializer with support for complex scenarios (collections, polymorphism).
  • Best For: Complex XML scenarios requiring advanced features.
  • Limitations: Comparison errors on most types; limited to Integer only.

YAXLibSerializer

  • Type: XML
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Flexible XML serializer with attribute-based configuration.
  • Best For: Human-readable XML with custom formatting.
  • Limitations: Does not support circular references (ObjectGraph).

YAML Serializers

YamlDotNetSerializer

  • Type: YAML
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: Popular YAML library for .NET. Human-readable format ideal for configuration.
  • Best For: Configuration files, human-readable data exchange, DevOps scenarios.

SharpYamlSerializer

  • Type: YAML
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked with all except ObjectGraph
  • Description: Fast YAML serializer with comprehensive spec support.
  • Limitations: Maximum nesting depth limit of 64 exceeded by ObjectGraph.

Specialized/High-Performance

CerasSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed
  • Description: High-performance binary serializer with versioning support. Handles circular references automatically.
  • Best For: Game development, real-time applications requiring versioning, complex object graphs.
  • Limitations: None significant for benchmark test data.

MemoryPackSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed (Integer, SimpleObject, StringArray)
  • Description: Ultra-high-performance serializer from the MagicOnion team. Uses [MemoryPackable] attributes with MemoryPack.Generator for build-time code generation.
  • Best For: gRPC scenarios, maximum throughput with modern C# features.
  • Limitations: Requires MemoryPack.Generator package for code generation at build time.

ZeroFormatterSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ❌ Requires zfc Tool
  • Description: Fast binary serializer with zero-copy deserialization.
  • Best For: Game networking, real-time applications.
  • Limitations: Requires [ZeroFormattable] attribute AND zfc (ZeroFormatter.Compiler) command-line tool to generate formatters at build time. Formatters must be registered at startup.

FlatSharpSerializer

  • Type: Binary (FlatBuffers)
  • Status: ✅ All benchmark passed (Integer, SimpleObject, StringArray)
  • Description: .NET implementation of Google's FlatBuffers. Zero-copy deserialization using [FlatBufferTable] attributes with virtual properties.
  • Best For: Game development, embedded systems, zero-copy scenarios.
  • Limitations: Requires FlatSharp.Compiler package and virtual properties on annotated types.

BinaryPackSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
  • Description: High-performance binary serializer using Memory.
  • Best For: Modern .NET applications using Memory and Span.
  • Limitations: Requires compile-time type knowledge with proper generic constraints (T : new()). Cannot work with arbitrary types via reflection.

GroBufSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked only with Integer, SimpleObject
  • Description: Fast binary serializer with emphasis on simplicity.
  • Best For: Simple objects, high-speed scenarios.
  • Limitations: Comparison errors on complex types; limited to simple types.

MigrantSerializer

  • Type: Binary
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked only with Integer, SimpleObject
  • Description: Migration-capable serializer with versioning support.
  • Best For: Long-term data storage requiring schema evolution.
  • Limitations: BadImageFormatException on complex types; limited to simple types.

FluentSerializerJson

  • Type: JSON
  • Status: ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
  • Description: Fluent API JSON serializer from the FluentSerializer project.
  • Limitations: Requires profile mappings for each type to be defined at compile time. Cannot work with arbitrary types without profiles.

CsvHelperSerializer

  • Type: CSV
  • Status: ⚠️ Benchmarked only with Integer, SimpleObject
  • Description: Popular CSV library for .NET.
  • Best For: Tabular data export/import for simple flat objects.
  • Limitations: CSV is flat tabular format - cannot handle nested objects, arrays, or circular references. Limited to simple types.

Partially Tested Serializers

The following serializers are partially tested in the benchmark via the Supports() method. That means they are not tested with all data types, but some of them are tested with specific data types.

Serializer Reason Supported Data
Apex.Serialization Crashes on circular refs All except ObjectGraph
BinaryPack Compile-time type required (T : new()) ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
Bond Compact/Fast/Json Schema attributes required All except ObjectGraph
CsvHelper CSV is flat format, no nested objects Integer, SimpleObject
ExtendedXmlSerializer Comparison errors Integer only
FastJson Circular reference issues All except ObjectGraph
FlatSharp ✅ Now Working Integer, SimpleObject, StringArray
FluentSerializer Profile mappings required ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
Google.Protobuf .proto definitions required ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
GroBuf Comparison errors Integer, SimpleObject
Hyperion StackOverflow on deep circular refs All except ObjectGraph
JavaScriptSerializer System.Web not in .NET Core ❌ Permanently Disabled, Should be fixed!
MemoryPack ✅ Working (Generator package) Integer, SimpleObject, StringArray
Migrant BadImageFormatException Integer, SimpleObject
NetSerializer Crashes on circular refs All except ObjectGraph
ServiceStack Json Circular reference issues All except ObjectGraph
ServiceStack Type Circular reference issues All except ObjectGraph
SharpSerializer NullReferenceException SimpleObject, StringArray, EDI_835
SharpYaml Max nesting depth exceeded All except ObjectGraph
SpanJson Does not support circular refs All except ObjectGraph
Utf8Json Does not support circular refs All except ObjectGraph
XmlSerializer Does not support circular refs All except ObjectGraph
YAXLib Does not support circular refs All except ObjectGraph
ZeroFormatter Requires zfc compiler tool ❌ Permanently Disabled, Build-time formatters needed

Serializer Selection Guide

For Maximum Performance

  1. Jil - Best for JSON with public setters
  2. NetJSON - Fastest JSON for simple objects
  3. ProtoBuf - Best binary size/speed ratio
  4. Hyperion - Best for distributed systems

For Flexibility

  1. Newtonsoft.Json - Most features, widest compatibility
  2. FsPickler - Best F# support, handles complex graphs
  3. SharpSerializer - Binary/XML dual support

For Interoperability

  1. ProtoBuf - Cross-platform standard
  2. Json.NET - Industry standard JSON
  3. YamlDotNet - Human-readable config files

For Microsoft Stack

  1. DataContractJsonSerializer - WCF/REST compatibility
  2. XmlSerializer - SOAP/XML services
  3. BinarySerializer - Legacy .NET interop

Last Updated: April 2026 - 38 Serializers Benchmarked