Design JSON serialization for circular references
Overview
This question evaluates understanding of deterministic, cross-language JSON serialization and deserialization for object graphs with cycles, including concepts such as cycle detection, stable object identifiers, preservation of shared subobjects, traversal-order determinism, input validation/security, and time/space complexity.
Design a JSON Serialization/Deserialization Strategy With Cycles and Determinism
You are designing a JSON-based serializer/deserializer for a graph of objects composed of dictionaries and primitives (str, int, float, bool, null). Objects may share subobjects and may contain cycles (e.g., two dictionaries referencing each other via a "partner" key).
Assume memory addresses are not stable across runs/languages, and the format must be readable/writable by multiple languages.
Requirements
Design and justify a strategy that:
- Detects cycles and prevents infinite recursion during serialization.
- Assigns and manages stable object identifiers (IDs) to preserve object identity.
- Preserves shared subobjects (no accidental copying).
- Chooses and justifies a traversal order (BFS vs. DFS) and ensures determinism across runs.
- Supports primitives and dictionaries (you may mention how lists could be added, but focus on dictionaries and primitives).
- Validates and secures the format against malicious inputs.
- Maintains cross-language compatibility (IDs cannot be memory addresses).
- Analyzes time and space complexity.
- Discusses trade-offs among alternative designs (e.g., reference tables, anchor/alias schemes, custom schemas).
Example Context
Two dictionaries reference each other via a partner field:
- A = {"name": "A", "partner": B}
- B = {"name": "B", "partner": A}
Describe your on-the-wire JSON format and the algorithms to serialize and deserialize such structures deterministically and safely.
Solution
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