> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.saasfoundation.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Serialization

> Learn how serializers and public types define frontend data shapes.

SaaS Foundation serializes data whenever it crosses from the backend to the
frontend. A serializer turns a Prisma result into the public shape used by the
presentation layer.

## Serialize every response

API routes do not return raw Prisma models. Each result passes through a
serializer before it is added to a standard API response.

```ts theme={null}
export function serializeOrganization(organization) {
  return {
    id: organization.id,
    name: organization.name,
    slug: organization.slug,
    createdAt: organization.createdAt.toISOString(),
  };
}
```

This gives you one place to see exactly what the frontend receives. It also
makes it easy to omit private fields, rename fields, convert dates, include
computed values, or reshape related records.

## Use public types

The final serialized shapes live in `src/types/`. Serializers declare those
types as their output, and API services and frontend components consume the same
types.

```text theme={null}
src/serializers/organizationSerializer.ts
src/types/organization.ts
```

Keeping Prisma models behind this boundary prevents database implementation
details from becoming accidental frontend contracts.

## Use the same boundary for Server Components

Serializers are not limited to API responses. When a Server Component loads
data and passes it to a Client Component, the data crosses a backend-to-frontend
boundary as well.

SaaS Foundation uses the same serializers for that boundary. API responses and
serialized Server Component props therefore share predictable frontend types.

## Serialize lists and details

Detail routes serialize one record. List routes serialize every result before
adding pagination metadata.

```ts theme={null}
return paginatedResponse(data.map(serializeOrganization), {
  page,
  perPage,
  total,
});
```

See [API format](/api-format) for the response envelopes that contain these
serialized values.