Use the source generator

By default Huml.Net uses reflection to discover how to serialise your types. For AOT or trimmed apps — or to remove reflection from a hot path — the Huml.Net.SourceGeneration package emits the type metadata at compile time instead.

1. Add the generator package

dotnet add package Huml.Net.SourceGeneration

It is an analyzer/source-generator package: it adds no runtime assembly, and it transitively brings in Huml.Net so you do not need a separate reference.

2. Declare a context and register your types

Create a partial class deriving from HumlGeneratedContext and annotate it with one [HumlSerializable(typeof(T))] per type you want generated:

using Huml.Net.Serialization;
using Huml.Net.Serialization.Attributes;

[HumlSerializable(typeof(ServerConfig))]
[HumlSerializable(typeof(Endpoint))]
public partial class AppHumlContext : HumlGeneratedContext
{
}

The generator fills in the partial class with a HumlTypeInfo<T> per registered type and a Default singleton.

3. Point HumlOptions at the generated context

var options = new HumlOptions { TypeInfoResolver = AppHumlContext.Default };

var config = HumlSerializer.Deserialize<ServerConfig>(document, options);
string huml = HumlSerializer.Serialize(config, options);

When the resolver supplies metadata for a type, Huml.Net uses the generated delegates and bypasses reflection. For any type the resolver does not know, it falls back to the reflection path automatically — so partial adoption is fine.

What the generator honours

[HumlIgnore] — the property is excluded from the generated metadata.
[HumlProperty("name")] — the HUML key override is used.
Inherited properties — base-class properties are included, base-first.

Supported type shapes

The generator emits a parameterless CreateObject only when new T() is valid. Types with a parameterised constructor, required members, or that are abstract still work — the generated CreateObject is null and the deserialiser uses its constructor-binding path for them. init-only properties bind via the constructor rather than a generated setter.

Beta limitation: the context class itself must be a top-level, non-generic partial class (it may live in any namespace). Nested or generic context classes are not yet supported.