The Evolution and Art of Choosing Data Serialization Formats
Tom Wetjens
Every time you make an API call, save a file, or send a message between services, you’re participating in humanity’s ongoing quest to turn complex data structures into streams of bytes—and back again.
This talk traces the fascinating evolution of data serialization from punch cards and magnetic tape to JSON, Protocol Buffers, and beyond, exploring why we serialize data, how different formats solve different problems, and most importantly, how to choose the right serialization strategy for your project. We’ll dissect the trade-offs like human readability, schema evolution and performance, examine why some formats dominate despite technical limitations, and discover emerging new formats that are reshaping how we think about data exchange.