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 know this is late but the answers are pretty old, I thought my benchmarks might help as I have just tested in PHP 7.4

Serialize/Unserialize is much faster than JSON, takes less memory and space, and wins outright in PHP 7.4 but I am not sure my test is the most efficient or the best,

I have basically created a PHP file which returns an array which I encoded, serialised, then decoded and unserialised.

$array = include __DIR__.'/../tests/data/dao/testfiles/testArray.php';

//JSON ENCODE
$json_encode_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$json_encode_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $encoded = json_encode($array);
}

$json_encode_time_end = microtime(true);
$json_encode_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$json_encode_time = $json_encode_time_end - $json_encode_time_start;
$json_encode_memory = 
$json_encode_memory_end - $json_encode_memory_start;


//SERIALIZE
$serialize_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$serialize_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $serialized = serialize($array);
}

$serialize_time_end = microtime(true);
$serialize_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$serialize_time = $serialize_time_end - $serialize_time_start;
$serialize_memory = $serialize_memory_end - $serialize_memory_start;


//Write to file time:
$fpc_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$fpc_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $fpc_bytes = 
    file_put_contents(
        __DIR__.'/../tests/data/dao/testOneBigFile',
        ';'
    );
}

$fpc_time_end = microtime(true);
$fpc_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$fpc_time = $fpc_time_end - $fpc_time_start;
$fpc_memory = $fpc_memory_end - $fpc_memory_start;


//JSON DECODE
$json_decode_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$json_decode_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $decoded = json_encode($encoded);
}

$json_decode_time_end = microtime(true);
$json_decode_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$json_decode_time = $json_decode_time_end - $json_decode_time_start;
$json_decode_memory = 
$json_decode_memory_end - $json_decode_memory_start;


//UNSERIALIZE
$unserialize_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$unserialize_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $unserialized = unserialize($serialized);
}

$unserialize_time_end = microtime(true);
$unserialize_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$unserialize_time = $unserialize_time_end - $unserialize_time_start;
$unserialize_memory = 
$unserialize_memory_end - $unserialize_memory_start;


//GET FROM VAR EXPORT:
$var_export_memory_start = memory_get_usage();
$var_export_time_start = microtime(true);

for ($i=0; $i < 20000; $i++) { 
    $array = include __DIR__.'/../tests/data/dao/testOneBigFile';
}

$var_export_time_end = microtime(true);
$var_export_memory_end = memory_get_usage();
$var_export_time = $var_export_time_end - $var_export_time_start;
$var_export_memory = $var_export_memory_end - $var_export_memory_start;

Results:

Var Export length: 11447 Serialized length: 11541 Json encoded length: 11895 file put contents Bytes: 11464

Json Encode Time: 1.9197590351105 Serialize Time: 0.160325050354 FPC Time: 6.2793469429016

Json Encode Memory: 12288 Serialize Memory: 12288 FPC Memory: 0

JSON Decoded time: 1.7493588924408 UnSerialize Time: 0.19309520721436 Var Export and Include: 3.1974139213562

JSON Decoded memory: 16384 UnSerialize Memory: 14360 Var Export and Include: 192