core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/messaging/SerializationService.java

package org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging;

/**
 * Service for encoding & decoding intra-cluster messages.
 */
public interface SerializationService {

    /**
     * Decodes the specified byte buffer to obtain the message within.
     *
     * @param buffer byte buffer with message(s)
     * @return parsed message
     */
    Object decode(byte[] data);

    /**
     * Encodes the specified message into the given byte buffer.
     *
     * @param message message to be encoded
     * @param buffer byte buffer to receive the message data
     */
    byte[] encode(Object message);

}