Documentation of exception-related contracts

core/commonMain/src/kotlinx/serialization/KSerializer.kt

@@ -51,6 +51,17 @@ import kotlinx.serialization.encoding.*
  * ```
  *
  * Deserialization process is symmetric and uses [Decoder].
+ *
+ * ### Exception types for `KSerializer` implementation
+ *
+ * Implementations of [serialize] and [deserialize] methods are allowed to throw
+ * any subtype of [IllegalArgumentException] in order to indicate serialization
+ * and deserialization errors.
+ *
+ * For serializer implementations, it is recommended to throw subclasses of [SerializationException] for
+ * any serialization-specific errors related to invalid or unsupported format of the data
+ * and [IllegalStateException] for errors during validation of the data.
+ *
  */
 public interface KSerializer<T> : SerializationStrategy<T>, DeserializationStrategy<T> {
     /**
@@ -106,6 +117,10 @@ public interface SerializationStrategy<in T> {
      *     // don't encode 'alwaysZero' property because we decided to do so
      * } // end of the structure
      * ```
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any serialization-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the supplied input does not comply encoder's specification
+     * @see KSerializer for additional information about general contracts and exception specifics
      */
     public fun serialize(encoder: Encoder, value: T)
 }
@@ -171,6 +186,10 @@ public interface DeserializationStrategy<T> {
      *     return MyData(int, list, alwaysZero = 0L)
      * }
      * ```
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any deserialization-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the decoded input is not a valid instance of [T]
+     * @see KSerializer for additional information about general contracts and exception specifics
      */
     public fun deserialize(decoder: Decoder): T
 }

core/commonMain/src/kotlinx/serialization/SerialFormat.kt

@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@ import kotlinx.serialization.modules.*
  * Typically, formats have their specific [Encoder] and [Decoder] implementations
  * as private classes and do not expose them.
  *
+ * ### Exception types for `SerialFormat` implementation
+ *
+ * Methods responsible for format-specific encoding and decoding are allowed to throw
+ * any subtype of [IllegalArgumentException] in order to indicate serialization
+ * and deserialization errors. It is recommended to throw subtypes of [SerializationException]
+ * for encoder and decoder specific errors and [IllegalArgumentException] for input
+ * and output validation-specific errors.
+ *
+ * For formats
+ *
  * ### Not stable for inheritance
  *
  * `SerialFormat` interface is not stable for inheritance in 3rd party libraries, as new methods
@@ -49,11 +59,17 @@ public interface BinaryFormat : SerialFormat {
 
     /**
      * Serializes and encodes the given [value] to byte array using the given [serializer].
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any encoding-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the encoded input does not comply format's specification
      */
     public fun <T> encodeToByteArray(serializer: SerializationStrategy<T>, value: T): ByteArray
 
     /**
-     * Decodes and deserializes the given [byte array][bytes] to the value of type [T] using the given [deserializer]
+     * Decodes and deserializes the given [byte array][bytes] to the value of type [T] using the given [deserializer].
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any decoding-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the decoded input is not a valid instance of [T]
      */
     public fun <T> decodeFromByteArray(deserializer: DeserializationStrategy<T>, bytes: ByteArray): T
 }
@@ -72,27 +88,37 @@ public interface StringFormat : SerialFormat {
 
     /**
      * Serializes and encodes the given [value] to string using the given [serializer].
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any encoding-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the encoded input does not comply format's specification
      */
     public fun <T> encodeToString(serializer: SerializationStrategy<T>, value: T): String
 
     /**
-     * Decodes and deserializes the given [string] to the value of type [T] using the given [deserializer]
+     * Decodes and deserializes the given [string] to the value of type [T] using the given [deserializer].
+     *
+     * @throws SerializationException in case of any decoding-specific error
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the decoded input is not a valid instance of [T]
      */
     public fun <T> decodeFromString(deserializer: DeserializationStrategy<T>, string: String): T
 }
 
 /**
  * Serializes and encodes the given [value] to string using serializer retrieved from the reified type parameter.
+ *
+ * @throws SerializationException in case of any encoding-specific error
+ * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the encoded input does not comply format's specification
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> StringFormat.encodeToString(value: T): String =
     encodeToString(serializersModule.serializer(), value)
 
 /**
  * Decodes and deserializes the given [string] to the value of type [T] using deserializer
  * retrieved from the reified type parameter.
+ *
+ * @throws SerializationException in case of any decoding-specific error
+ * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the decoded input is not a valid instance of [T]
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> StringFormat.decodeFromString(string: String): T =
     decodeFromString(serializersModule.serializer(), string)
 
@@ -105,7 +131,6 @@ public inline fun <reified T> StringFormat.decodeFromString(string: String): T =
  * only applies transformation to the resulting array. It is recommended to use for debugging and
  * testing purposes.
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public fun <T> BinaryFormat.encodeToHexString(serializer: SerializationStrategy<T>, value: T): String =
     InternalHexConverter.printHexBinary(encodeToByteArray(serializer, value), lowerCase = true)
 
@@ -115,7 +140,6 @@ public fun <T> BinaryFormat.encodeToHexString(serializer: SerializationStrategy<
  *
  * This method is a counterpart to [encodeToHexString]
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public fun <T> BinaryFormat.decodeFromHexString(deserializer: DeserializationStrategy<T>, hex: String): T =
     decodeFromByteArray(deserializer, InternalHexConverter.parseHexBinary(hex))
 
@@ -127,7 +151,6 @@ public fun <T> BinaryFormat.decodeFromHexString(deserializer: DeserializationStr
  * only applies transformation to the resulting array. It is recommended to use for debugging and
  * testing purposes.
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> BinaryFormat.encodeToHexString(value: T): String =
     encodeToHexString(serializersModule.serializer(), value)
 
@@ -137,22 +160,19 @@ public inline fun <reified T> BinaryFormat.encodeToHexString(value: T): String =
  *
  * This method is a counterpart to [encodeToHexString]
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> BinaryFormat.decodeFromHexString(hex: String): T =
     decodeFromHexString(serializersModule.serializer(), hex)
 
 /**
  * Serializes and encodes the given [value] to byte array using serializer
  * retrieved from the reified type parameter.
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> BinaryFormat.encodeToByteArray(value: T): ByteArray =
     encodeToByteArray(serializersModule.serializer(), value)
 
 /**
  * Decodes and deserializes the given [byte array][bytes] to the value of type [T] using deserializer
  * retrieved from the reified type parameter.
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public inline fun <reified T> BinaryFormat.decodeFromByteArray(bytes: ByteArray): T =
     decodeFromByteArray(serializersModule.serializer(), bytes)

core/commonMain/src/kotlinx/serialization/SerializationException.kt → core/commonMain/src/kotlinx/serialization/SerializationExceptions.kt

@@ -6,36 +6,34 @@ package kotlinx.serialization
 
 /**
  * A generic exception indicating the problem in serialization or deserialization process.
- * This is a generic exception type that can be thrown during the problem at any stage of the serialization,
- * including encoding, decoding, serialization, deserialization.
+ *
+ * This is a generic exception type that can be thrown during problems at any stage of the serialization,
+ * including encoding, decoding, serialization, deserialization, and validation.
  * [SerialFormat] implementors should throw subclasses of this exception at any unexpected event,
  * whether it is a malformed input or unsupported class layout.
+ *
+ * [SerializationException] is a subclass of [IllegalArgumentException] for the sake of consistency and user-defined validation:
+ * Any serialization exception is triggered by the illegal input, whether
+ * it is a serializer that does not support specific structure or an invalid input.
+ *
+ * It is also an established pattern to validate input in user's classes in the following manner:
+ * ```
+ * @Serializable
+ * class Foo(...) {
+ *     init {
+ *         required(age > 0) { ... }
+ *         require(name.isNotBlank()) { ... }
+ *     }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ * While clearly being serialization error (when compromised data was deserialized),
+ * Kotlin way is to throw `IllegalArgumentException` here instead of using library-specific `SerializationException`.
+ *
+ * For general "catch-all" patterns around deserialization of potentially
+ * untrusted/invalid/corrupted data it is recommended to catch `IllegalArgumentException` type
+ * to avoid catching irrelevant to serializaton errors such as `OutOfMemoryError` or domain-specific ones.
  */
 public open class SerializationException : IllegalArgumentException {
-    /*
-     * Rationale behind making it IllegalArgumentException:
-     * Any serialization exception is triggered by the illegal argument, whether
-     * it is a serializer that does not support specific structure or an invalid input.
-     * Making it IAE just aligns the implementation with this fact.
-     *
-     * Another point is input validation. The simplest way to validate
-     * deserialized data is `require` in `init` block:
-     * ```
-     * @Serializable class Foo(...) {
-     *     init {
-     *         required(age > 0) { ... }
-     *         require(name.isNotBlank()) { ... }
-     *     }
-     * }
-     * ```
-     * While clearly being serialization error (when compromised data was deserialized),
-     * Kotlin way is to throw IAE here instead of using library-specific SerializationException.
-     *
-     * Also, any production-grade system has a general try-catch around deserialization of potentially
-     * untrusted/invalid/corrupted data with the corresponding logging, error reporting and diagnostic.
-     * Such handling should catch some subtype of exception (e.g. it's unlikely that catching OOM is desirable).
-     * Taking it into account, it becomes clear that SE should be subtype of IAE.
-     */
 
     /**
      * Creates an instance of [SerializationException] without any details.

formats/json/commonMain/src/kotlinx/serialization/json/Json.kt

@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ public sealed class Json(
     /**
      * Deserializes the given JSON [string] into a value of type [T] using the given [deserializer].
      *
-     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given JSON string cannot be deserialized to the value of type [T].
+     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given JSON string is not a valid JSON input for the type [T]
+     * @throws [IllegalArgumentException] if the decoded input cannot be represented as a valid instance of type [T]
      */
     public final override fun <T> decodeFromString(deserializer: DeserializationStrategy<T>, string: String): T {
         val lexer = StringJsonLexer(string)
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ public sealed class Json(
     /**
      * Serializes the given [value] into an equivalent [JsonElement] using the given [serializer]
      *
-     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given value cannot be serialized.
+     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given value cannot be serialized to JSON
      */
     public fun <T> encodeToJsonElement(serializer: SerializationStrategy<T>, value: T): JsonElement {
         return writeJson(value, serializer)
@@ -107,7 +108,8 @@ public sealed class Json(
     /**
      * Deserializes the given [element] into a value of type [T] using the given [deserializer].
      *
-     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given JSON string cannot be deserialized to the value of type [T].
+     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given JSON element is not a valid JSON input for the type [T]
+     * @throws [IllegalArgumentException] if the decoded input cannot be represented as a valid instance of type [T]
      */
     public fun <T> decodeFromJsonElement(deserializer: DeserializationStrategy<T>, element: JsonElement): T {
         return readJson(element, deserializer)
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ public sealed class Json(
     /**
      * Deserializes the given JSON [string] into a corresponding [JsonElement] representation.
      *
-     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given JSON string is malformed and cannot be deserialized
+     * @throws [SerializationException] if the given string is not a valid JSON
      */
     public fun parseToJsonElement(string: String): JsonElement {
         return decodeFromString(JsonElementSerializer, string)
@@ -180,7 +182,6 @@ public enum class DecodeSequenceMode {
 /**
  * Creates an instance of [Json] configured from the optionally given [Json instance][from] and adjusted with [builderAction].
  */
-@OptIn(ExperimentalSerializationApi::class)
 public fun Json(from: Json = Json.Default, builderAction: JsonBuilder.() -> Unit): Json {
     val builder = JsonBuilder(from)
     builder.builderAction()