The Java SE 6 documentation on Object Serialization states the following about the uses of Java serialization: Serialization is used for lightweight persistence and for communication via sockets ...

You'll learn about the serialization algorithm used in Java, and see an example that illustrates the serialized format of an object.

Last month, Oracle's chief architect, Mark Reinhold, said during a conference Q&A that one of Oracle's long-term goals is to change the way Java handles object serialization. In fact, he called the ...

But while Oracle is addressing the issue in Java, serialization also affects other programming environments like .NET, Ruby, and others, where the issue remains dormant.