Preferred method to store PHP arrays (json_encode vs serialize)

Question

I need to store a multi-dimensional associative array of data in a flat file for caching purposes. I might occasionally come across the need to convert it to JSON for use in

Answer 1

I've tested this very thoroughly on a fairly complex, mildly nested multi-hash with all kinds of data in it (string, NULL, integers), and serialize/unserialize ended up much faster than json_encode/json_decode.

The only advantage json have in my tests was it's smaller 'packed' size.

These are done under PHP 5.3.3, let me know if you want more details.

Here are tests results then the code to produce them. I can't provide the test data since it'd reveal information that I can't let go out in the wild.

JSON encoded in 2.23700618744 seconds
PHP serialized in 1.3434419632 seconds
JSON decoded in 4.0405561924 seconds
PHP unserialized in 1.39393305779 seconds

serialized size : 14549
json_encode size : 11520
serialize() was roughly 66.51% faster than json_encode()
unserialize() was roughly 189.87% faster than json_decode()
json_encode() string was roughly 26.29% smaller than serialize()

//  Time json encoding
$start = microtime( true );
for($i = 0; $i < 10000; $i++) {
    json_encode( $test );
}
$jsonTime = microtime( true ) - $start;
echo "JSON encoded in $jsonTime seconds
";

//  Time serialization
$start = microtime( true );
for($i = 0; $i < 10000; $i++) {
    serialize( $test );
}
$serializeTime = microtime( true ) - $start;
echo "PHP serialized in $serializeTime seconds
";

//  Time json decoding
$test2 = json_encode( $test );
$start = microtime( true );
for($i = 0; $i < 10000; $i++) {
    json_decode( $test2 );
}
$jsonDecodeTime = microtime( true ) - $start;
echo "JSON decoded in $jsonDecodeTime seconds
";

//  Time deserialization
$test2 = serialize( $test );
$start = microtime( true );
for($i = 0; $i < 10000; $i++) {
    unserialize( $test2 );
}
$unserializeTime = microtime( true ) - $start;
echo "PHP unserialized in $unserializeTime seconds
";

$jsonSize = strlen(json_encode( $test ));
$phpSize = strlen(serialize( $test ));

echo "
serialized size : " . strlen(serialize( $test )) . "
";
echo "json_encode size : " . strlen(json_encode( $test )) . "
";

//  Compare them
if ( $jsonTime < $serializeTime )
{
    echo "json_encode() was roughly " . number_format( ($serializeTime / $jsonTime - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% faster than serialize()";
}
else if ( $serializeTime < $jsonTime )
{
    echo "serialize() was roughly " . number_format( ($jsonTime / $serializeTime - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% faster than json_encode()";
} else {
    echo 'Unpossible!';
}
    echo '
';

//  Compare them
if ( $jsonDecodeTime < $unserializeTime )
{
    echo "json_decode() was roughly " . number_format( ($unserializeTime / $jsonDecodeTime - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% faster than unserialize()";
}
else if ( $unserializeTime < $jsonDecodeTime )
{
    echo "unserialize() was roughly " . number_format( ($jsonDecodeTime / $unserializeTime - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% faster than json_decode()";
} else {
    echo 'Unpossible!';
}
    echo '
';
//  Compare them
if ( $jsonSize < $phpSize )
{
    echo "json_encode() string was roughly " . number_format( ($phpSize / $jsonSize - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% smaller than serialize()";
}
else if ( $phpSize < $jsonSize )
{
    echo "serialize() string was roughly " . number_format( ($jsonSize / $phpSize - 1 ) * 100, 2 ) . "% smaller than json_encode()";
} else {
    echo 'Unpossible!';
}