Use serde derive macros or manual trait implementations to control how Rust structs are serialized and deserialized.
Use the #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)] attribute from the serde crate to automatically generate serialization code for your structs.
use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
struct Data {
value: i32,
}
For custom logic, implement the Serialize and Deserialize traits manually or use #[serde(rename = "...")] attributes to control field names and behavior.
Custom serialization lets you control exactly how your data is converted into a format like JSON or binary. You use it when the automatic default behavior doesn't match your specific storage or network requirements. Think of it like packing a suitcase: you can just throw clothes in (automatic), or you can fold and arrange them specifically to fit a unique space (custom).