serialization

Choosing a .NET serialization format depends on your performance, versioning, and Native AOT compatibility needs. Schema-based formats like Protobuf and MessagePack are preferred for wire compatibility over reflection-centric approaches like Newtonsoft.Json.

To configure System.Text.Json source generation, you implement a JsonSerializerContext for your DTOs and integrate it with the ASP.NET Core HTTP JSON options. This enables AOT-friendly serialization without reflection-heavy runtime costs.

To migrate from Newtonsoft.Json to System.Text.Json, you apply practical versioning patterns and use clear replacements for property naming, null handling, and polymorphism via discriminators to ensure forward compatibility.

.NET serialization works with Native AOT by using System.Text.Json source generators instead of reflection. Configuring a JsonSerializerContext provides AOT-friendly serialization that avoids unsafe runtime costs.

You should use schema-based serialization like Protobuf over JSON when you need strict wire compatibility and versioning. Configuring tolerant readers for forward compatibility is recommended to handle schema evolution safely.

The limitation of using BinaryFormatter is that it is an unsafe practice due to embedding type names. You should avoid it and prefer schema-based serialization formats like Protobuf or MessagePack for secure wire contracts.