How to Manage Serialize/Deserialize an Enum Property with Dart/Flutter to Firestore

When working with Firestore in Flutter, managing data serialization and deserialization is crucial, especially when dealing with enum types. Firestore does not have a built-in mechanism to handle Dart enums, so you'll need to implement a way to convert them to and from strings (or integers) for storage and retrieval. This blog will guide you through the process of serializing and deserializing enums in your Flutter application when interacting with Firestore.

Step 1: Define Your Enum

First, define your enum in Dart. For this example, let’s create a simple enum for user roles.

enum UserRole {
  admin,
  user,
  guest,
}

Step 2: Serialize the Enum

To serialize the enum, you can create a method that converts the enum value to a string or an integer. Here, we’ll use strings for better readability.

String serializeUserRole(UserRole role) {
  return role.toString().split('.').last; // Convert to string without the enum type
}

Step 3: Deserialize the Enum

Next, create a method to convert the string back into an enum value.

UserRole deserializeUserRole(String roleString) {
  return UserRole.values.firstWhere((e) => e.toString().split('.').last == roleString);
}

Step 4: Storing Data in Firestore

When you store data in Firestore, use the serialization method to convert the enum to a string.

import 'package:cloud_firestore/cloud_firestore.dart';

Future<void> addUser(String name, UserRole role) async {
  await FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('users').add({
    'name': name,
    'role': serializeUserRole(role), // Serialize enum before storing
  });
}

Step 5: Retrieving Data from Firestore

When you retrieve data from Firestore, use the deserialization method to convert the string back to the enum.

dart
Copy code
Future<void> getUser(String userId) async {
  DocumentSnapshot doc = await FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('users').doc(userId).get();
  String roleString = doc['role'];

  UserRole role = deserializeUserRole(roleString); // Deserialize enum after retrieval

  print('User Role: $role');
}
Full Example
Here’s a complete example of how to manage enums in Firestore:

dart
Copy code
enum UserRole {
  admin,
  user,
  guest,
}

String serializeUserRole(UserRole role) {
  return role.toString().split('.').last;
}

UserRole deserializeUserRole(String roleString) {
  return UserRole.values.firstWhere((e) => e.toString().split('.').last == roleString);
}

Future<void> addUser(String name, UserRole role) async {
  await FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('users').add({
    'name': name,
    'role': serializeUserRole(role),
  });
}

Future<void> getUser(String userId) async {
  DocumentSnapshot doc = await FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('users').doc(userId).get();
  String roleString = doc['role'];

  UserRole role = deserializeUserRole(roleString);
  print('User Role: $role');
}

Conclusion

Managing serialization and deserialization of enum properties in Flutter when working with Firestore requires some additional steps, but it is straightforward with the methods outlined above. By converting enum values to strings (or integers) for storage and back to enum values upon retrieval, you can efficiently handle enum types in your Firestore collections. This practice ensures that your data remains consistent and easy to manage throughout your application.

FAQs

Q: Why should I use enums instead of strings directly?
A: Enums provide type safety, better readability, and ease of maintenance in your code. They also allow for easier refactoring.

Q: Can I store enums as integers instead of strings?
A: Yes, you can assign integer values to enums, but ensure you implement appropriate serialization and deserialization logic to convert between integers and enum values.

Q: What if my enum changes?
A: If you modify your enum, you’ll need to ensure that any existing data in Firestore is updated to reflect those changes. You can implement migration logic to handle existing data.

See also

How to Parse JSON in the Background with Flutter: Parsing Large JSON Files to Avoid Jank.

JSON and Serialization in Flutter: A Comprehensive Guide for Flutter App Development