java.io.serializable

The Serializable interface defines no methods or constants. A class should implement this interface simply to indicate that it allows itself to be serialized and deserialized with ObjectOutputStream.writeObject( ) and ObjectInputStream.readObject( ).

Objects that need special handling during serialization or deserialization may implement one or both of the following methods; note, however, that these methods are not part of the Serializable interface):

private void writeObject(java.io.ObjectOutputStream out) throws IOException;
private void readObject(java.io.ObjectInputStream in) throws IOException, 
             ClassNotFoundException;

Typically, the writeObject( ) method performs any necessary cleanup or preparation for serialization, invokes the defaultWriteObject( ) method of the ObjectOutputStream to serialize the nontransient fields of the class, and optionally writes any additional data that is required. Similarly, the readObject( ) method typically invokes the defaultReadObject( ) method of the ObjectInputStream, reads any additional data written by the corresponding writeObject( ) method, and performs any extra initialization required by the object. The readObject( ) method may also register an ObjectInputValidation object to validate the object once it is completely deserialized.

public interface Serializable {
}