This library implements a deserializer for an efficient, compact-output, and feature-rich binary protocol called _Sereal_. Its sister module Sereal::Encoder implements an encoder for this format. The two are released separately to allow for independent and safer upgrading.

The Sereal protocol versions that are compatible with this decoder implementation are currently protocol versions 1, 2, and 3. As it stands, it will refuse to attempt to decode future versions of the protocol, but if necessary there is likely going to be an option to decode the parts of the input that are compatible with version 3 of the protocol. The protocol was designed to allow for this.

The protocol specification and many other bits of documentation can be found in the github repository. Right now, the specification is at https://github.com/Sereal/Sereal/blob/master/sereal_spec.pod, there is a discussion of the design objectives in https://github.com/Sereal/Sereal/blob/master/README.pod, and the output of our benchmarks can be seen at https://github.com/Sereal/Sereal/wiki/Sereal-Comparison-Graphs.