diff --git a/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh
index 33d9b363ba..0701b0feb5 100644
--- a/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh
@@ -48,44 +48,39 @@ struct check_index_layout {
 template struct check_index_layout<sizeof(index<std::uint64_t>), 536>;
 
 /**
- * Save the index to file.
+ * Write the index to an output stream
  *
  * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
  *
  * @param[in] handle the raft handle
- * @param[in] filename the file name for saving the index
+ * @param[in] os output stream
  * @param[in] index IVF-PQ index
  *
  */
 template <typename IdxT>
-void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_,
-               const std::string& filename,
-               const index<IdxT>& index)
+void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_, std::ostream& os, const index<IdxT>& index)
 {
-  std::ofstream of(filename, std::ios::out | std::ios::binary);
-  if (!of) { RAFT_FAIL("Cannot open file %s", filename.c_str()); }
-
   RAFT_LOG_DEBUG("Size %zu, dim %d, pq_dim %d, pq_bits %d",
                  static_cast<size_t>(index.size()),
                  static_cast<int>(index.dim()),
                  static_cast<int>(index.pq_dim()),
                  static_cast<int>(index.pq_bits()));
 
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, kSerializationVersion);
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.size());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.dim());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.pq_bits());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.pq_dim());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.conservative_memory_allocation());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, kSerializationVersion);
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.size());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.dim());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.pq_bits());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.pq_dim());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.conservative_memory_allocation());
 
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.metric());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.codebook_kind());
-  serialize_scalar(handle_, of, index.n_lists());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.metric());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.codebook_kind());
+  serialize_scalar(handle_, os, index.n_lists());
 
-  serialize_mdspan(handle_, of, index.pq_centers());
-  serialize_mdspan(handle_, of, index.centers());
-  serialize_mdspan(handle_, of, index.centers_rot());
-  serialize_mdspan(handle_, of, index.rotation_matrix());
+  serialize_mdspan(handle_, os, index.pq_centers());
+  serialize_mdspan(handle_, os, index.centers());
+  serialize_mdspan(handle_, os, index.centers_rot());
+  serialize_mdspan(handle_, os, index.rotation_matrix());
 
   auto sizes_host = make_host_mdarray<uint32_t, uint32_t, row_major>(index.list_sizes().extents());
   copy(sizes_host.data_handle(),
@@ -93,12 +88,33 @@ void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_,
        sizes_host.size(),
        handle_.get_stream());
   handle_.sync_stream();
-  serialize_mdspan(handle_, of, sizes_host.view());
+  serialize_mdspan(handle_, os, sizes_host.view());
   auto list_store_spec = list_spec<uint32_t>{index.pq_bits(), index.pq_dim(), true};
   for (uint32_t label = 0; label < index.n_lists(); label++) {
     ivf::serialize_list<list_spec, IdxT, uint32_t>(
-      handle_, of, index.lists()[label], list_store_spec, sizes_host(label));
+      handle_, os, index.lists()[label], list_store_spec, sizes_host(label));
   }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Save the index to file.
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] filename the file name for saving the index
+ * @param[in] index IVF-PQ index
+ *
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_,
+               const std::string& filename,
+               const index<IdxT>& index)
+{
+  std::ofstream of(filename, std::ios::out | std::ios::binary);
+  if (!of) { RAFT_FAIL("Cannot open file %s", filename.c_str()); }
+
+  detail::serialize(handle_, of, index);
 
   of.close();
   if (!of) { RAFT_FAIL("Error writing output %s", filename.c_str()); }
@@ -106,35 +122,30 @@ void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_,
 }
 
 /**
- * Load index from file.
+ * Load index from input stream
  *
  * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
  *
  * @param[in] handle the raft handle
- * @param[in] filename the name of the file that stores the index
- * @param[in] index IVF-PQ index
+ * @param[in] is input stream
  *
  */
 template <typename IdxT>
-auto deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_, const std::string& filename) -> index<IdxT>
+auto deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_, std::istream& is) -> index<IdxT>
 {
-  std::ifstream infile(filename, std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
-
-  if (!infile) { RAFT_FAIL("Cannot open file %s", filename.c_str()); }
-
-  auto ver = deserialize_scalar<int>(handle_, infile);
+  auto ver = deserialize_scalar<int>(handle_, is);
   if (ver != kSerializationVersion) {
     RAFT_FAIL("serialization version mismatch %d vs. %d", ver, kSerializationVersion);
   }
-  auto n_rows  = deserialize_scalar<IdxT>(handle_, infile);
-  auto dim     = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, infile);
-  auto pq_bits = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, infile);
-  auto pq_dim  = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, infile);
-  auto cma     = deserialize_scalar<bool>(handle_, infile);
+  auto n_rows  = deserialize_scalar<IdxT>(handle_, is);
+  auto dim     = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, is);
+  auto pq_bits = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, is);
+  auto pq_dim  = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, is);
+  auto cma     = deserialize_scalar<bool>(handle_, is);
 
-  auto metric        = deserialize_scalar<raft::distance::DistanceType>(handle_, infile);
-  auto codebook_kind = deserialize_scalar<raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::codebook_gen>(handle_, infile);
-  auto n_lists       = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, infile);
+  auto metric        = deserialize_scalar<raft::distance::DistanceType>(handle_, is);
+  auto codebook_kind = deserialize_scalar<raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::codebook_gen>(handle_, is);
+  auto n_lists       = deserialize_scalar<std::uint32_t>(handle_, is);
 
   RAFT_LOG_DEBUG("n_rows %zu, dim %d, pq_dim %d, pq_bits %d, n_lists %d",
                  static_cast<std::size_t>(n_rows),
@@ -146,24 +157,46 @@ auto deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_, const std::string& filen
   auto index = raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<IdxT>(
     handle_, metric, codebook_kind, n_lists, dim, pq_bits, pq_dim, cma);
 
-  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, infile, index.pq_centers());
-  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, infile, index.centers());
-  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, infile, index.centers_rot());
-  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, infile, index.rotation_matrix());
-  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, infile, index.list_sizes());
+  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, is, index.pq_centers());
+  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, is, index.centers());
+  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, is, index.centers_rot());
+  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, is, index.rotation_matrix());
+  deserialize_mdspan(handle_, is, index.list_sizes());
   auto list_device_spec = list_spec<uint32_t>{pq_bits, pq_dim, cma};
   auto list_store_spec  = list_spec<uint32_t>{pq_bits, pq_dim, true};
   for (auto& list : index.lists()) {
     ivf::deserialize_list<list_spec, IdxT, uint32_t>(
-      handle_, infile, list, list_store_spec, list_device_spec);
+      handle_, is, list, list_store_spec, list_device_spec);
   }
 
   handle_.sync_stream();
-  infile.close();
 
   recompute_internal_state(handle_, index);
 
   return index;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Load index from file.
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] filename the name of the file that stores the index
+ *
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+auto deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle_, const std::string& filename) -> index<IdxT>
+{
+  std::ifstream infile(filename, std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
+
+  if (!infile) { RAFT_FAIL("Cannot open file %s", filename.c_str()); }
+
+  auto index = detail::deserialize<IdxT>(handle_, infile);
+
+  infile.close();
+
+  return index;
+}
+
 }  // namespace raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::detail
diff --git a/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq.cuh b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq.cuh
index e2cc3c4728..053fe634da 100644
--- a/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq.cuh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include <raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_build.cuh>
 #include <raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_search.cuh>
-#include <raft/neighbors/detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh>
+#include <raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh>
 #include <raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_types.hpp>
 
 #include <raft/core/device_resources.hpp>
diff --git a/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a719c69d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/include/raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2023, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "detail/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh"
+
+namespace raft::neighbors::ivf_pq {
+
+/**
+ * \defgroup ivf_pq_serialize IVF-PQ Serialize
+ * @{
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Write the index to an output stream
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @code{.cpp}
+ * #include <raft/core/device_resources.hpp>
+ *
+ * raft::device_resources handle;
+ *
+ * // create an output stream
+ * std::ostream os(std::cout.rdbuf());
+ * // create an index with `auto index = ivf_pq::build(...);`
+ * raft::serailize(handle, os, index);
+ * @endcode
+ *
+ * @tparam IdxT type of the index
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] os output stream
+ * @param[in] index IVF-PQ index
+ *
+ * @return raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<IdxT>
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, std::ostream& os, const index<IdxT>& index)
+{
+  detail::serialize(handle, os, index);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Save the index to file.
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @code{.cpp}
+ * #include <raft/core/device_resources.hpp>
+ *
+ * raft::device_resources handle;
+ *
+ * // create a string with a filepath
+ * std::string filename("/path/to/index");
+ * // create an index with `auto index = ivf_pq::build(...);`
+ * raft::serailize(handle, filename, index);
+ * @endcode
+ *
+ * @tparam IdxT type of the index
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] filename the file name for saving the index
+ * @param[in] index IVF-PQ index
+ *
+ * @return raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<IdxT>
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle,
+               const std::string& filename,
+               const index<IdxT>& index)
+{
+  detail::serialize(handle, filename, index);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load index from input stream
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @code{.cpp}
+ * #include <raft/core/device_resources.hpp>
+ *
+ * raft::device_resources handle;
+ *
+ * // create an input stream
+ * std::istream is(std::cin.rdbuf());
+ * using IdxT = int; // type of the index
+ * auto index = raft::deserialize<IdxT>(handle, is);
+ * @endcode
+ *
+ * @tparam IdxT type of the index
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] is input stream
+ *
+ * @return raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<IdxT>
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+index<IdxT> deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, std::istream& is)
+{
+  return detail::deserialize<IdxT>(handle, is);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load index from file.
+ *
+ * Experimental, both the API and the serialization format are subject to change.
+ *
+ * @code{.cpp}
+ * #include <raft/core/device_resources.hpp>
+ *
+ * raft::device_resources handle;
+ *
+ * // create a string with a filepath
+ * std::string filename("/path/to/index");
+ * using IdxT = int; // type of the index
+ * auto index = raft::deserialize<IdxT>(handle, filename);
+ * @endcode
+ *
+ * @tparam IdxT type of the index
+ *
+ * @param[in] handle the raft handle
+ * @param[in] filename the name of the file that stores the index
+ *
+ * @return raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<IdxT>
+ */
+template <typename IdxT>
+index<IdxT> deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, const std::string& filename)
+{
+  return detail::deserialize<IdxT>(handle, filename);
+}
+
+/**@}*/
+
+}  // namespace raft::neighbors::ivf_pq
diff --git a/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_deserialize.cu b/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_deserialize.cu
index 403f80c9fc..8f71e5622b 100644
--- a/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_deserialize.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_deserialize.cu
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ void deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle,
                  raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<uint64_t>* index)
 {
   if (!index) { RAFT_FAIL("Invalid index pointer"); }
-  *index = raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::detail::deserialize<uint64_t>(handle, filename);
+  *index = raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::deserialize<uint64_t>(handle, filename);
 };
 }  // namespace raft::runtime::neighbors::ivf_pq
diff --git a/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_serialize.cu b/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_serialize.cu
index f6fd70be82..b7ceb9150a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_serialize.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/distance/neighbors/ivfpq_serialize.cu
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle,
                const std::string& filename,
                const raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::index<uint64_t>& index)
 {
-  raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::detail::serialize(handle, filename, index);
+  raft::neighbors::ivf_pq::serialize(handle, filename, index);
 };
 
 }  // namespace raft::runtime::neighbors::ivf_pq
diff --git a/cpp/test/neighbors/ann_ivf_pq.cuh b/cpp/test/neighbors/ann_ivf_pq.cuh
index df295b8bcb..91294a859a 100644
--- a/cpp/test/neighbors/ann_ivf_pq.cuh
+++ b/cpp/test/neighbors/ann_ivf_pq.cuh
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@ class ivf_pq_test : public ::testing::TestWithParam<ivf_pq_inputs> {
 
   auto build_serialize()
   {
-    ivf_pq::detail::serialize<IdxT>(handle_, "ivf_pq_index", build_only());
-    return ivf_pq::detail::deserialize<IdxT>(handle_, "ivf_pq_index");
+    ivf_pq::serialize<IdxT>(handle_, "ivf_pq_index", build_only());
+    return ivf_pq::deserialize<IdxT>(handle_, "ivf_pq_index");
   }
 
   template <typename BuildIndex>
diff --git a/docs/source/cpp_api/neighbors_ivf_pq.rst b/docs/source/cpp_api/neighbors_ivf_pq.rst
index d22ea6231f..228833983c 100644
--- a/docs/source/cpp_api/neighbors_ivf_pq.rst
+++ b/docs/source/cpp_api/neighbors_ivf_pq.rst
@@ -14,4 +14,18 @@ namespace *raft::neighbors::ivf_pq*
     :members:
     :content-only:
 
+Serializer Methods
+------------------
+``#include <raft/neighbors/ivf_pq_serialize.cuh>``
 
+.. doxygenfunction:: serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, std::ostream& os, const index<IdxT>& index)
+    :project: RAFT
+
+.. doxygenfunction:: serialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, const std::string& filename, const index<IdxT>& index)
+    :project: RAFT
+
+.. doxygenfunction:: deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, std::istream& is)
+    :project: RAFT
+
+.. doxygenfunction:: deserialize(raft::device_resources const& handle, const std::string& filename)
+    :project: RAFT
\ No newline at end of file