WinterRose.WinterForge 25.2.19-alpha

Stream-Based Object Serialization and Deserialization � WinterForge

WinterForge is a high-performance, human-readable object serialization framework designed to adapt fluidly to project needs rather than forcing projects to conform to its rules. It blends speed with developer clarity by offering a dual format system that supports both human-readable text and opcode-based intermediate representation for maximum performance.

Core Features

• Stream-based I/O:
  Utilizes IO.Stream for serialization and deserialization, enabling flexible storage and transfer.

• Dual Format System:

  • Human-readable text: Easy for developers to read, debug, diff, and edit manually.
  • Opcode intermediate representation: Structured sequential opcodes for fast, optimized serialization cycles.

• Comprehensive Type Support:

  • Primitive types (int, float, bool, string, etc.) with full typename transcription.
  • Anonymous types: Supports serialization and deserialization of inline, unnamed objects, including nested anonymous types.
  • Nested objects, enums, lists, arrays, and nullable types.
  • Static classes, fields, and properties.

• Attribute-Driven Control:

  • Inclusion/exclusion of fields and properties using attributes.
  • Hooks on instance methods for lifecycle events:
    • BeforeSerialize
    • BeforeDeserialize
    • AfterDeserialize
  • Hooks can be asynchronous (async Task), currently not awaited but planned as optional.

• Advanced Object Handling:

  • Object reference ID system with aliasing and stack-based referencing for reuse.
  • Ability to call methods during deserialization, using return values dynamically.
  • Custom value providers via CustomValueProvider<T> for type-specific value control, without manual registration.
  • Supports both structs and classes.

• Progress and Formatting:

  • Abstract progress tracking system (useful for loading bars, UI feedback).
  • Formatting modes controlled by TargetFormat enum:
    • HumanReadable
    • IndentedHumanReadable
    • Opcodes
  • Automatic conversion between human-readable and opcode formats.

• Smart Type Discovery and Reflection:

  • Dynamically discovers types and members.
  • Supports runtime variables and integration with reflection helpers.

Design Philosophy

• Performance + Developer Clarity:
  Optimized to serialize thousands of objects in milliseconds while maintaining human readability for easier debugging and version control.

• Structure-First Approach:
  Data is always read in the order it is written, ensuring deterministic and reliable serialization.

Current Limitations & Future Plans

• Dictionaries not yet supported.
• Upcoming features:
  • Support for math and boolean expressions within serialized data.
  • Importing and including other WinterForge files/modules.
  • Templates and repeatable code blocks.
  • Conditional serialization and expression support.
  • Optional async lifecycle hook awaiting.

License

You can find the license details here.