docs/geode-native-docs-cpp/serialization/cpp-serialization/using-pdxserialization.html.md.erb

---
title:  Using PDX Serialization
---

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<%=vars.product_name%> Portable Data eXchange (PDX) serialization provides portability for PDX serializable objects so that clients can share data with
Java servers and other non-C++ clients. PDX stores data in named fields that you can access
individually in order to avoid the cost of deserializing the entire data object. PDX also allows you
to mix versions of objects where you have added or removed fields.

When using PDX serialization, you can use either `PdxSerializable` (for a specific domain object) or `PdxSerializer` (for all your domain objects).

**Use `PdxSerializable`** when the object is one whose definition you control. You can embed the serialization/deserialization capability within
the object, so its conversion from one format to the other is self-contained. You do this by defining an object that inherits from the `PdxSerializable`
interface, and you register the domain class using the `registerPdxType(domainClass)` API.

**Use `PdxSerializer`** when you cannot or do not wish to modify the object definition, for example, when the object is provided by a third-party.
You define the serialization/deserialization capability in a separate place, then register the domain class for serialization in the cache using 
the `registerPdxSerializer` API.

You can also set the object preference of the cache to the `PdxInstance` type, which allows you to access fields of a PDX object without deserializing the entire object.

-   **[Serialize Using the PdxSerializable Class](pdxserializable-interface.html)**

    Domain classes need to inherit the `PdxSerializable` abstract class to serialize and de-serialize the object. When you write objects using PDX serialization, they are distributed to the server tier in PDX serialized form.

-   **[Performing put, get, and localDestroy Operations with a PDX Domain Object](performing-ops-with-pdx-object.html)**
    This topic demonstrates how you can perform operations on a PDX domain object after you have implemented PDX serializable in your domain class.

-   **[Serialize Your Domain Objects with PdxSerializer and PdxWrapper](using-pdxserializer.html)**

    For domain objects that you cannot or do not want to modify, use the `PdxSerializer` and the `PdxWrapper` classes to serialize and deserialize the object's fields.

-   **[Programming Your Application to Use PdxInstances](using-pdxinstance.html)**

    A `PdxInstance` is a lightweight wrapper around the raw bytes of the PDX serialized objects kept in the cache. It provides applications with run-time access to files of a PDX serialized object. <%=vars.product_name%> provides the implementation of the `PdxInstance` class.

-   **[Configuring PDX to Ignore Unread Fields During Deserialization](pdx-ignore-unread-fields.html)**

    Use the `setPdxIgnoreUnreadFields` API to control whether PDX ignores fields that were unread during deserialization.

-   **[Using PdxInstanceFactory to Create PdxInstances](using-pdxinstancefactory.html)**

    You can use the `PdxInstanceFactory` API to create a `PdxInstance` from raw data when the domain class is not available on the server.

-   **[Using C++ Enum Type with PDX Serialization](using-enum-type-with-pdx.html)**

    Because there is no "object" base type in C++, enums cannot be directly passed as parameters to the `writeObject` and `readObject` API.

-   **[Using PDX Serialization with Delta Propagation](pdx-with-delta-propagation.html)**

    To use delta propagation with PDX serialization, you must implement the `Delta` interface methods.