Serialized LOB Pattern in Java: Managing Large Data Objects with Ease

About 3 min

Also known as

Serialized Large Object
Serialized BLOB
Serialized CLOB

Intent of Serialized LOB Design Pattern

Efficiently manage and store large data objects, such as multimedia files and extensive text strings, using the Serialized LOB pattern in Java, a strategy for robust database optimization.

Detailed Explanation of Serialized LOB Pattern with Real-World Examples

Real-world example

Imagine a social media platform optimized for performance, where users can upload and seamlessly share multimedia content, leveraging Java's Serialized LOB pattern for enhanced data handling. Instead of storing these large multimedia files on a separate file server, the platform uses the Serialized LOB design pattern to store the files directly in the database. Each uploaded image or video is serialized into a binary large object (BLOB) and stored within the user's record. This approach ensures that the multimedia files are managed within the same transactional context as other user data, providing consistency and simplifying data access and retrieval.

In plain words

The Serialized LOB design pattern manages the storage of large objects, such as files or multimedia, by serializing and storing them directly within a database.

Programmatic Example of Serialized LOB Pattern in Java

The Serialized Large Object (LOB) design pattern is a way to handle large objects in a database. It involves serializing an object graph into a single large object (a BLOB or CLOB, for Binary Large Object or Character Large Object, respectively) and storing it in the database. When the object graph needs to be retrieved, it is read from the database and deserialized back into the original object graph.

Here's a programmatic example of the Serialized LOB design pattern:

public abstract class LobSerializer implements AutoCloseable {
  // ... omitted for brevity
  public abstract Object serialize(Forest toSerialize) throws Exception;
  public abstract Forest deSerialize(Object toDeserialize) throws Exception;
  // ... omitted for brevity
}

The LobSerializer class is an abstract class that provides the structure for serializing and deserializing objects. It has two abstract methods: serialize and deSerialize. These methods are implemented by the subclasses ClobSerializer and BlobSerializer.

public class ClobSerializer extends LobSerializer {
  // ... omitted for brevity
  @Override
  public Object serialize(Forest forest) throws ParserConfigurationException, TransformerException {
    // ... omitted for brevity
  }

  @Override
  public Forest deSerialize(Object toDeserialize)
      throws ParserConfigurationException, IOException, SAXException {
    // ... omitted for brevity
  }
}

The ClobSerializer class provides an implementation for serializing and deserializing objects into XML strings. The serialize method converts a Forest object into an XML string, and the deSerialize method converts an XML string back into a Forest object.

public class BlobSerializer extends LobSerializer {
  // ... omitted for brevity
  @Override
  public Object serialize(Forest toSerialize) throws IOException {
    // ... omitted for brevity
  }

  @Override
  public Forest deSerialize(Object toDeserialize) throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException {
    // ... omitted for brevity
  }
}

The BlobSerializer class provides an implementation for serializing and deserializing objects into binary data. The serialize method converts a Forest object into binary data, and the deSerialize method converts binary data back into a Forest object.

Finally, here is the App class with main method that can be used to execute the serialization example.

public class App {

  public static final String CLOB = "CLOB";
  private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(App.class);

  public static void main(String[] args) throws SQLException {
    Forest forest = createForest();
    LobSerializer serializer = createLobSerializer(args);
    executeSerializer(forest, serializer);
  }

  private static LobSerializer createLobSerializer(String[] args) throws SQLException {
    LobSerializer serializer;
    if (args.length > 0 && Objects.equals(args[0], CLOB)) {
      serializer = new ClobSerializer();
    } else {
      serializer = new BlobSerializer();
    }
    return serializer;
  }

  private static Forest createForest() {
    Plant grass = new Plant("Grass", "Herb");
    Plant oak = new Plant("Oak", "Tree");

    Animal zebra = new Animal("Zebra", Set.of(grass), Collections.emptySet());
    Animal buffalo = new Animal("Buffalo", Set.of(grass), Collections.emptySet());
    Animal lion = new Animal("Lion", Collections.emptySet(), Set.of(zebra, buffalo));

    return new Forest("Amazon", Set.of(lion, buffalo, zebra), Set.of(grass, oak));
  }

  private static void executeSerializer(Forest forest, LobSerializer lobSerializer) {
    try (LobSerializer serializer = lobSerializer) {

      Object serialized = serializer.serialize(forest);
      int id = serializer.persistToDb(1, forest.getName(), serialized);

      Object fromDb = serializer.loadFromDb(id, Forest.class.getSimpleName());
      Forest forestFromDb = serializer.deSerialize(fromDb);

      LOGGER.info(forestFromDb.toString());
    } catch (SQLException | IOException | TransformerException | ParserConfigurationException
             | SAXException
             | ClassNotFoundException e) {
      throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
  }
}

Console output:

12:01:21.061 [main] INFO com.iluwatar.slob.App -- 
Forest Name = Amazon
Animals found in the Amazon Forest: 

--------------------------

Animal Name = Lion
	Animals Eaten by Lion: 
		
Animal Name = Buffalo

	Plants Eaten by Buffalo: 
		Name = Grass,Type = Herb
		
Animal Name = Zebra

	Plants Eaten by Zebra: 
		Name = Grass,Type = Herb

--------------------------

--------------------------

Animal Name = Buffalo

	Plants Eaten by Buffalo: 
		Name = Grass,Type = Herb
--------------------------

--------------------------

Animal Name = Zebra

	Plants Eaten by Zebra: 
		Name = Grass,Type = Herb
--------------------------

Plants in the Amazon Forest: 

--------------------------
Name = Oak,Type = Tree
--------------------------

--------------------------
Name = Grass,Type = Herb
--------------------------

When to Use the Serialized LOB Pattern in Java

Use when you need to store large objects in a database and want to optimize data access and storage.
Ideal for applications that deal with large binary or character data such as multimedia files, logs, or documents.

Real-World Applications of Serialized LOB Pattern in Java

Storing and retrieving images or multimedia files in a database.
Managing large text documents or logs in enterprise applications.
Handling binary data in applications that require efficient data retrieval and storage.

Benefits and Trade-offs of Serialized LOB Pattern

Benefits:

Simplifies the handling of large objects by leveraging Java serialization.
Reduces the need for external file storage systems.
Ensures consistency by storing LOBs within the same transactional context as other data.

Trade-offs:

Increases database size due to the storage of serialized data.
Potential performance overhead during serialization and deserialization.
Requires careful management of serialization format to maintain backward compatibility.

DAO (Data Access Object): Often used in conjunction with Serialized LOB to encapsulate data access logic.
Active Record: Can use Serialized LOB for managing large data within the same record.
Repository: Uses Serialized LOB to handle complex queries and data manipulation involving large objects.