Let’s take a look at how the annotation model and runtime configuration work when customizing the JSON Binding serialization and deserialization processes.

Next article in this series covers how JSON-B handles custom object creation.

Annotation Method

Using the annotation method, it’s possible to customize the default serialization and deserialization behavior by annotating fields, JavaBean methods, and classes.

@JsonbNillable
@JsonbPropertyOrder(PropertyOrderStrategy.REVERSE)
public class Book {

    @JsonbProperty("cost")
    @JsonbNumberFormat("#0.00")
    private Float price;

}

For example, you could use the @JsonbNillable annotation to customize null handling and the @JsonbPropertyOrder annotation to customize the property order. These two annotations are specified at the class level.

You could specify the number format with the @JsonbNumberFormat annotation and change the name of a field with the @JsonbProperty annotation.

Runtime Configuration

Alternatively, you could choose to handle customization with the runtime configuration builder, by configuration an instance of JsonbConfig and passing it to the create method of the Jsonb builder, as shown in this code snippet.

JsonbConfig jsonbConfig = new JsonbConfig()
 .withPropertyNamingStrategy(PropertyNamingStrategy.LOWER_CASE_WITH_DASHES)
 .withNullValues(true)
 .withFormatting(true);

Jsonb jsonb = JsonbBuilder.create(jsonbConfig);

Either way, the JSON Binding API provides extensive capabilities for the serialization and deserialization of Java objects. There is plenty more to know about the JSON Binding API than what I talk about in these blog posts.