Data handling - Java SDK

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All data sent to and from the Temporal Service passes through the Data Converter. The Data Converter has three layers that handle different concerns:

The Flow of Data through a Data Converter

Of these three layers, only the PayloadConverter is required. Temporal uses a default PayloadConverter that handles JSON serialization. The PayloadCodec and ExternalStorage layers are optional. You only need to customize these layers when your application requires non-JSON types, encryption, or payload offloading.

	PayloadConverter	PayloadCodec
Purpose	Serialize application data to bytes	Transform encoded payloads (encrypt, compress)
Default	JSON serialization	None (passthrough)

For a deeper conceptual explanation, see the Data Conversion encyclopedia and External Storage.