# serde\_bytes [![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/workflow/status/serde-rs/bytes/CI/master)](https://github.com/serde-rs/bytes/actions?query=branch%3Amaster) [![Latest Version](https://img.shields.io/crates/v/serde_bytes.svg)](https://crates.io/crates/serde_bytes)

Wrapper types to enable optimized handling of `&[u8]` and `Vec<u8>`.

```toml
[dependencies]
serde_bytes = "0.11"
```

## Explanation

Without specialization, Rust forces Serde to treat `&[u8]` just like any
other slice and `Vec<u8>` just like any other vector. In reality this
particular slice and vector can often be serialized and deserialized in a
more efficient, compact representation in many formats.

When working with such a format, you can opt into specialized handling of
`&[u8]` by wrapping it in `serde_bytes::Bytes` and `Vec<u8>` by wrapping it
in `serde_bytes::ByteBuf`.

Additionally this crate supports the Serde `with` attribute to enable efficient
handling of `&[u8]` and `Vec<u8>` in structs without needing a wrapper type.

## Example

```rust
use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};

#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
struct Efficient<'a> {
    #[serde(with = "serde_bytes")]
    bytes: &'a [u8],

    #[serde(with = "serde_bytes")]
    byte_buf: Vec<u8>,
}
```


#### License

Licensed under either of Apache License, Version
2.0 or MIT license at your option.

Unless you explicitly state otherwise, any contribution intentionally submitted
for inclusion in this crate by you, as defined in the Apache-2.0 license, shall
be dual licensed as above, without any additional terms or conditions.

