Serialization

In C++, to serialize simple data, aka plain old data (POD), where the layout in memory is predictable, you can use a char* (byte) buffer:

This method cannot be used for non-POD types (e.g., those with pointers or virtual methods) because their memory layout is not portable. Examples are std::string, std::vector. For such types, you can use std::ostringstream:

Both approaches assume that the serialized data format and endianness match between serialization and deserialization. For more complex cases, use libraries like nlohmann/json for JSON-based serialization and Boost.Serialization for binary/text serialization with more features.