java.rmi: The Remote Method Invocation Guide

Chapter 3. Serialization

• Introduction—Essentials—Serialization in depth—Serialization process—Serializable interface—Externalizable interface—MarshalledObject—Class versioning—Serial version UID—Alternative approaches to versioning—Advanced facilities—javadoc and serialization—Performance—Exercises

In this chapter

Java Serialization is used by RMI to marshal and unmarshal arguments and results. This process is largely handled by the RMI system and Java, but the RMI developer must contribute. If serialization is not addressed, your remote methods may not work at all—a stumbling block for many developers new to RMI; and relying on default serialization can make an RMI program run unacceptably slowly.

The first section of this chapter provides the essentials ...