Question 1

How fast is Jil compared to Json.NET?

Accepted Answer

Jil is significantly faster, often 2-3x quicker in serialization and deserialization benchmarks due to IL generation and low-level optimizations. However, this speed comes at the cost of reduced flexibility and type support compared to Json.NET.

Question 2

How to handle dynamic JSON with Jil?

Accepted Answer

Use the JSON.SerializeDynamic and JSON.DeserializeDynamic methods for unknown types at runtime. These support operations like member access, casts, and foreach loops, but note that dynamic handling may be slower than static typing and has limitations in type inference.

Question 3

Does Jil support .NET Core or .NET 5+?

Accepted Answer

Jil primarily targets .NET Framework, but check NuGet for compatibility with .NET Core and later versions. Some optimizations may require adjustments, and community support might be limited compared to mainstream libraries.

Question 4

What types does Jil not support?

Accepted Answer

Jil does not support arbitrary .NET types; unsupported cases include custom collections not implementing IList<T>, complex object graphs with circular references, and types requiring extensive custom serialization beyond DataMember or JilDirective attributes.

Question 5

How to configure date formats in Jil?

Accepted Answer

Pass an Options parameter to serialize/deserialize methods, specifying formats like ISO8601, Unix epoch, or Microsoft style. For example, use Options.ISO8601 for standard date strings, and note that DateTimes are serialized as UTC by default for round-tripping.

Question 6

Is Jil case sensitive when deserializing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Jil is case-sensitive by default, so member names must match the JSON exactly. Use the camelCase configuration option or JilDirective attributes to handle different naming conventions without manual mapping.

Question 7

Can Jil serialize inherited members?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only if configured; set the IncludeInherited option in Options to include inherited public fields and properties during serialization. By default, it may exclude them unless explicitly enabled.

Jil

What is Jil?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions