class abstract

A generic, extensible object serializer responsible for converting Dart objects into structured, generator-friendly representations (such as JSON objects, YAML maps, or custom AST nodes).

ObjectSerializer<T, Generator> forms the core abstraction used by JetLeaf’s serialization framework. It defines how instances of T are transformed into transferable structures using a format-specific Generator and a SerializationContext for nested and custom serialization strategies.

Purpose

Serializers allow JetLeaf (and downstream frameworks) to:

Serialize annotated or runtime-discovered Dart classes
Apply naming strategies (e.g., snake_case vs camelCase)
Produce consistent, predictable output across formats
Integrate custom serializers for domain-specific types

Typical Usage

final generator = JsonGenerator();
final provider  = SerializerProvider.default();

final serializer = UserSerializer();
serializer.serialize(user, generator, provider);

print(generator.toJsonString());
// {"id":1,"name":"Alice"}

Responsibilities

Convert an instance of T into a structured object representation
Emit map/array/primitive entries through the provided Generator
Transform field names using the active NamingStrategy
Delegate nested objects to SerializationContext
Ensure output is structurally valid for the target format

Serialization Pipeline

Step	Description
1	Verify serializer compatibility via canSerialize
2	Begin object structure (e.g., `startObject()`)
3	Emit each field with transformed key names
4	Serialize nested objects using the provider
5	End object structure and finalize output

Design Notes

Serialization is intentionally separated from parsing/formatting, allowing different backends (JSON, YAML, BSON, etc.) to share the same model-level serializers.
Works directly with JetLeaf’s reflection API (Class<T>) to determine fields, annotations, and visibility rules.
Fully supports user-implemented serializers for custom models.

Error Handling

Implementations must throw clear, descriptive errors when:

A required field cannot be written
A value is unsupported by the serializer or generator
Output structure would become invalid or inconsistent

Constructors

ObjectSerializer(): Creates a new ObjectSerializer.
const

Properties

hashCode → int: The hash code for this object.
no setterinherited
runtimeType → Type: A representation of the runtime type of the object.
no setterinherited

Methods

canSerialize(Class type) → bool: Returns whether the given type can be serialized by the system.
noSuchMethod(Invocation invocation) → dynamic: Invoked when a nonexistent method or property is accessed.
inherited
serialize(T value, G generator, Context serializer) → void: Serializes an object of type T into an object using the provided Generator and SerializationContext.
supportsContext(SerializationContext<Generator> context) → bool: Determines whether this serializer supports the given serialization context.
toClass() → Class<T>: Provides a contract for types capable of exposing their associated runtime Class metadata representation within the JetLeaf reflection system.
inherited
toString() → String: A string representation of this object.
inherited

Operators

operator ==(Object other) → bool: The equality operator.
inherited

Static Properties

CLASS → Class<ObjectSerializer<dynamic, Generator, SerializationContext<Generator>>>: Represents the ObjectSerializer type for reflection and type resolution.
final