serde-ml/serde

---

serde-ml/serde.json

{
  "createdAt": "2022-11-14T19:35:18Z",
  "defaultBranch": "main",
  "description": "Serialization framework for OCaml",
  "fullName": "serde-ml/serde",
  "homepage": "",
  "language": "OCaml",
  "name": "serde",
  "pushedAt": "2024-10-01T19:45:51Z",
  "stargazersCount": 182,
  "topics": [],
  "updatedAt": "2025-11-12T01:25:44Z",
  "url": "https://github.com/serde-ml/serde"
}

serde.ml

A serialization framework for OCaml inspired by serde-rs.

The main goals for serde.ml are:

• Serialization — take arbitary data structures from the user and turn them into specific formats with maximum efficiency.

• Deserialization — read arbitrary data that you parse into data structures of the user’s choice with maximum efficiency.

type rank = Captain | Chief_petty_officer [@@deriving serialize, deserialize]
type t = { name : string; rank : rank } [@@deriving serialize, deserialize]

let obrien = { name = "Miles O'Brien"; rank = Chief_petty_officer }
let sisko = { name = "Benjamin Sisko"; rank = Captain }

> Serde_json.to_string_pretty (serialize_t) obrien
Ok "{ \"name\": \"Miles O'Brien\", \"rank\": \"Chief_petty_officer\" }"

> Serde_json.of_string (deserialize_t) "{ \"name\": \"Miles O'Brien\", \"rank\": \"Chief_petty_officer\" }"
Ok {name = "Miles O'Brien"; rank = Chief_petty_officer}

> Serde_sexpr.to_string_pretty (serialize_t) obrien;;
Ok "(\"Miles O'Brien\" :Chief_petty_officer)"

> Serde_sexpr.of_string (deserialize_t) "(\"Miles O'Brien\" :Chief_petty_officer)";;
Ok {name = "Miles O'Brien"; rank = Chief_petty_officer}

Installation

To install serde from opam, use:

; opam install serde serde_derive serde_json -y

To install serde from sources, use:

; opam pin serde.0.0.2 git+https://github.com/serde-ml/serde -y
; opam pin serde_derive.0.0.2 git+https://github.com/serde-ml/serde -y
; opam pin serde_json.0.0.2 git+https://github.com/serde-ml/serde -y

Usage

To derive deserialize/serialize functions for your data types, make sure to

• include the serde library
• include (preprocess (pps serde_derive)) in your library config
• include any of the formats you want to use (like serde_json)

Now you can add @@deriving annotations to your types:

type rank = Captain | Chief_petty_officer [@@deriving serialize, deserialize]
type t = { name : string; rank : rank } [@@deriving serialize, deserialize]

And use them with the formats:

Serde_json.to_string serialize_rank { name = "Benjamin Sisko"; rank = Captain }

Contributing

Check the [CONTRIBUTING.md]!(./CONTRIBUTING.md) for a small guide on how to implement new data formats.