> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.lisppad.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.lisppad.app/libraries/lispkit/lispkit-serialize.md).
# (lispkit serialize)
Library `(lispkit serialize)` provides a simple API for serializing and deserializing Scheme expressions. With procedure `serialize`, Scheme expressions are serialized into binary data represented as bytevectors. Such bytevectors can be deserialized back into their original value with procedure `deserialize`.
Only the following types of expressions can be serialized:
* Booleans
* Numbers
* Characters
* Strings
* Symbols
* Bytevectors
* Lists
* Vectors
* Hashtables
* Bitsets
* Date-time values
* JSON values
**(serializable? *****expr*****)** 
Returns `#t` if *expr* is an expression which can be serialized via procedure `serialize` into a bytevector. `serializable?` returns `#f` otherwise.
**(deserializable? *****bvec*****)** \
\&#xNAN;**(deserializable? *****bvec start*****)**\
\&#xNAN;**(deserializable? *****bvec start end*****)**
Returns `#t` if bytevector *bvec* between *start* and *end* can be deserialized into a valid Scheme expression via procedure `deserialize`. Otherwise, `deserializable?` returns `#f`.
**(serialize *****expr*****)** \
\&#xNAN;**(serialize *****expr default*****)**
Serializes expression *expr* into a binary representation returned in form of a bytevector. Only the following types of expressions can be serialized: booleans, numbers, characters, strings, symbols, bytevectors, lists, vectors, hashtables, bitsets, date-time and JSON values. If *default* is not provided, `serialize` raises an error whenever a value that cannot be serialized is encountered. If *default* is provided and is serializable, then *default* is serialized instead of each value that is not serializable.
**(deserialize *****bvec*****)** \
\&#xNAN;**(deserialize *****bvec start*****)**\
\&#xNAN;**(deserialize *****bvec start end*****)**
Deserializes a bytevector *bvec* between *start* and *end* into a Scheme expression. `deserialize` raises an error if the bytevector cannot be deserialized successfully.