Skip to content

State Serialization

Colyseus currently provides two serialization methods out of the box:

See below how to specify which serialization method to use.

import { serialize, FossilDeltaSerializer, Room } from "colyseus";

@serialize(FossilDeltaSerializer)
class MyRoom extends Room {
    // your room definition
}

const colyseus = require('colyseus');

class MyRoom extends colyseus.Room {
    // your room definition
}
colyseus.serialize(colyseus.FossilDeltaSerializer)(MyRoom);

Implementing a custom serializer (server-side)

If you feel the need to implement a custom state serializer, you should be able to.

👻 You probably don't need this! 👻

If you're just starting out with the framework, read the "State Handling" pages instead.

This feature is experimental

You are likely to need to fork the client library you're working with to integrate the de-serializer in the client. In the future, all clients should support an API to set a custom de-serializer.

At the time of this writing, only the JavaScript and Defold clients are able to register custom de-serializers.

id: string

Id of the serializer. The client-side can instantiate a custom serializer based on this id.

reset(data): void

Reset the state.

getFullState(client): number[]

The first state sent to the client upon joining the room. Must return a byte array.

applyPatches(clients): number[]

A subsequent patch to be sent for all clients, or particular client. Must return a byte array.

handshake(clients): number[]

Custom handshake data to be sent to the client upon joining the room. Must return a byte array.

Implementing a custom de-serializer (client-side)

Tip

The de-serializer implementation varies accourding to the client library you're using.

Feel free to ask for help in the forums or Discord.

You're encouraged to take a look at the existing serializer's implementation to guide you write your own:

setState(data): void

Set the state instance.

getState(): any

The the state instance.

patch(bytes: number[]): void

Receive the patches coming from the server.

teardown(): void

Clean-up what needs to be cleared when leaving the room.

handshake(bytes: number): void

Receive the handshake sent by the server upon joining the room.

Registering the de-serializer in the client-side

import { registerSerializer, Serializer } from "colyseus.js";

class MyOwnSerializer extends Serializer {
    // ...
    // your de-serializer implementation
    // ...
}

registerSerializer('my-own-serializer', MyOwnSerializer);

local ColyseusSerializer = require('colyseus.serialization')

local my_own_serializer = {}
my_own_serializer.__index = my_own_serializer

function my_own_serializer.new ()
  local instance = {}
  setmetatable(instance, my_own_serializer)
  return instance
end

-- ...
-- your de-serializer implementation
-- ...

ColyseusSerializer.register_serializer('my-own-serializer', my_own_serializer)