README

Anslo

A serializer/deserializer that can serialize pointer references and remember context.

npm install --save anslo

How does it work?

const Anslo = require("anslo");

/**
 * Create an instance
 **/
let anslo = new Anslo();


/**
 * Create an instance of something
 * you would like to serialize
 **/ 
let user = new User();

/**
 * Do cool things like self referencing
 **/
user.self = user;

/**
 * Serialize data down to a string
 **/
let string = anslo.down(user)

/**
 * Deserialize back to original state
 **/
let newUser = anslo.up(string);

/**
 * Done!!
 **/
console.log(newUser === newUser.self); //outputs: true

What about remembering context? Let's use the same example.

const Anslo = require("anslo");

/**
 * Create an instance
 * 
 * [Context]
 * Provide an object of constructors that
 * you would like to have Anslo remember, 
 * and when they are revived, the pointer
 * will be an instance of the context provided
 **/
let anslo = new Anslo({ User });


/**
 * Create an instance of something
 * you would like to serialize
 **/ 
let user = new User();

/**
 * Do cool things like self referencing
 **/
user.self = user;

/**
 * Serialize data down to a string
 **/
let string = anslo.down(user)

/**
 * Deserialize back to original state
 **/
let newUser = anslo.up(string);

/**
 * Done!!
 **/
console.log(newUser === newUser.self); //outputs: true

Security Considerations

Serializing state down to a string and reviving it to its original state raises strong security concerns. If there are any questions at all about where serializations come from, use encryption and a signature to verify you made it. Moreover, we are soon to be living in an time where quantum computing is available; use a post-quantum algorithm.

"Be Kind and ~~Rewind~~ Encrypt Everything"

Caveats

Properties that are functions will be serialized to null. Use classes with methods to provide functionality.

What does the serialized string look like?

Let's say we were to run this bit of code...

let data = [{
    name: "something",
    date: new Date()
}]

/**
 * The second argument is the number of
 * spaces used to beautify the serialization.
 */
let string = anslo.down(data, 4)
console.log(string);

{
    "pointers": [
        [],
        {},
        "something",
        {}
    ],
    "graph": {
        "r": 0,
        "t": "array",
        "c": {
            "0": {
                "r": 1,
                "t": "object",
                "c": {
                    "name": {
                        "r": 2,
                        "t": "string"
                    },
                    "date": {
                        "r": 3,
                        "t": "date",
                        "v": "2018-12-10T06:36:05.620Z"
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Minified, it would look like this.

{"pointers":[[],{},"something",{}],"graph":{"r":0,"t":"array","c":{"0":{"r":1,"t":"object","c":{"name":{"r":2,"t":"string"},"date":{"r":3,"t":"date","v":"2018-12-10T06:40:51.342Z"}}}}}}

Usage no npm install needed!