Best Practice for Serialize/Deserialize from Java to XML

Question

What is the most appropriate way to serialize Java Classes to XML? I tried JAXB, but it has issues with Interfaces and Generics. What solution is least intrusive but scalable?

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 05 '16 at 15:56

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I've always had positive experiences with XStream:

http://x-stream.github.io/tutorial.html#to-xml

As you can see, it's simple to use.

I haven't actually used XStream with Generics (I've only ever used it for simple JavaBean type classes), but Google seems to suggest it handles them without problems. e.g. http://techo-ecco.com/blog/xstream-spring-ws-oxm-and-generics/

edited Sep 05 '16 at 15:56

facundofarias

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answered May 25 '10 at 09:13

laher

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n.b. that blog link leads on to talk about using Spring to simplify the outputted xml, but the first xml snippet indicates that plain-old XStream handles the Generic LinkedList nicely – laher May 25 '10 at 09:17
The tutorial itself uses a List so it seems to be working. Therefore the /must have standard constructor/ is fair tradeoff. – mbx May 26 '10 at 12:43

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

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I would suggest to overcome the issues with interfaces and generics you have with JAXB.

JAXB Marshalling and Generics

java.util.List is an interface, and JAXB can't handle interfaces

edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

Community

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answered May 25 '10 at 09:09

stacker

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I already read those but find the sollutions wont fit, it does not scale to build Adapters for every Class using generics. Transformation to/from Arrays would be OK - if JAXB would do it transparently and without my help. – mbx May 26 '10 at 12:31

Best Practice for Serialize/Deserialize from Java to XML

2 Answers2