Reorganize file conversion classes/interfaces (#5370)

Signed-off-by: Ravi Nadahar <nadahar@rediffmail.com>
2026-07-29 12:34:22 +02:00 · 2026-03-15 21:23:04 +01:00
parent a8fd50ef51
commit 0bc16195cb
19 changed files with 470 additions and 413 deletions
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ import org.openhab.core.items.ItemRegistry;
 import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
 import org.openhab.core.items.MetadataKey;
 import org.openhab.core.items.MetadataRegistry;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Bridge;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.ChannelUID;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ import org.openhab.core.thing.binding.ThingFactory;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.dto.ChannelDTO;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.dto.ThingDTO;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.dto.ThingDTOMapper;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLinkRegistry;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.type.BridgeType;
@@ -257,10 +257,10 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
    private final ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry;
    private final ChannelTypeRegistry channelTypeRegistry;
    private final ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescRegistry;
-    private final Map<String, ItemFileGenerator> itemFileGenerators = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
-    private final Map<String, ItemFileParser> itemFileParsers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
-    private final Map<String, ThingFileGenerator> thingFileGenerators = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
-    private final Map<String, ThingFileParser> thingFileParsers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    private final Map<String, ItemSerializer> itemSerializers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    private final Map<String, ItemParser> itemParsers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    private final Map<String, ThingSerializer> thingSerializers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    private final Map<String, ThingParser> thingParsers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();

    private int counter;

@@ -291,39 +291,39 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
    }

    @Reference(policy = ReferencePolicy.DYNAMIC, cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MULTIPLE)
-    protected void addItemFileGenerator(ItemFileGenerator itemFileGenerator) {
-        itemFileGenerators.put(itemFileGenerator.getFileFormatGenerator(), itemFileGenerator);
+    protected void addItemSerializer(ItemSerializer itemSerializer) {
+        itemSerializers.put(itemSerializer.getGeneratedFormat(), itemSerializer);
    }

-    protected void removeItemFileGenerator(ItemFileGenerator itemFileGenerator) {
-        itemFileGenerators.remove(itemFileGenerator.getFileFormatGenerator());
+    protected void removeItemSerializer(ItemSerializer itemSerializer) {
+        itemSerializers.remove(itemSerializer.getGeneratedFormat());
    }

    @Reference(policy = ReferencePolicy.DYNAMIC, cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MULTIPLE)
-    protected void addItemFileParser(ItemFileParser itemFileParser) {
-        itemFileParsers.put(itemFileParser.getFileFormatParser(), itemFileParser);
+    protected void addItemParser(ItemParser itemParser) {
+        itemParsers.put(itemParser.getParserFormat(), itemParser);
    }

-    protected void removeItemFileParser(ItemFileParser itemFileParser) {
-        itemFileParsers.remove(itemFileParser.getFileFormatParser());
+    protected void removeItemParser(ItemParser itemParser) {
+        itemParsers.remove(itemParser.getParserFormat());
    }

    @Reference(policy = ReferencePolicy.DYNAMIC, cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MULTIPLE)
-    protected void addThingFileGenerator(ThingFileGenerator thingFileGenerator) {
-        thingFileGenerators.put(thingFileGenerator.getFileFormatGenerator(), thingFileGenerator);
+    protected void addThingSerializer(ThingSerializer thingSerializer) {
+        thingSerializers.put(thingSerializer.getGeneratedFormat(), thingSerializer);
    }

-    protected void removeThingFileGenerator(ThingFileGenerator thingFileGenerator) {
-        thingFileGenerators.remove(thingFileGenerator.getFileFormatGenerator());
+    protected void removeThingSerializer(ThingSerializer thingSerializer) {
+        thingSerializers.remove(thingSerializer.getGeneratedFormat());
    }

    @Reference(policy = ReferencePolicy.DYNAMIC, cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MULTIPLE)
-    protected void addThingFileParser(ThingFileParser thingFileParser) {
-        thingFileParsers.put(thingFileParser.getFileFormatParser(), thingFileParser);
+    protected void addThingParser(ThingParser thingParser) {
+        thingParsers.put(thingParser.getParserFormat(), thingParser);
    }

-    protected void removeThingFileParser(ThingFileParser thingFileParser) {
-        thingFileParsers.remove(thingFileParser.getFileFormatParser());
+    protected void removeThingParser(ThingParser thingParser) {
+        thingParsers.remove(thingParser.getParserFormat());
    }

    @POST
@@ -343,8 +343,8 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
            @Parameter(description = "Array of item names. If empty or omitted, return all Items.") @Nullable List<String> itemNames) {
        String acceptHeader = httpHeaders.getHeaderString(HttpHeaders.ACCEPT);
        logger.debug("createFileFormatForItems: mediaType = {}, itemNames = {}", acceptHeader, itemNames);
-        ItemFileGenerator generator = getItemFileGenerator(acceptHeader);
-        if (generator == null) {
+        ItemSerializer serializer = getItemSerializer(acceptHeader);
+        if (serializer == null) {
            return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                    .entity("Unsupported media type '" + acceptHeader + "'!").build();
        }
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
            }
        }
        ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-        String genId = newIdForGeneration();
+        String genId = newIdForSerialization();
        Map<String, String> stateFormatters = new HashMap<>();
        items.forEach(item -> {
            StateDescription stateDescr = item.getStateDescription();
@@ -372,8 +372,8 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
                stateFormatters.put(item.getName(), format);
            }
        });
-        generator.setItemsToBeGenerated(genId, items, getMetadata(items), stateFormatters, hideDefaultParameters);
-        generator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
+        serializer.setItemsToBeSerialized(genId, items, getMetadata(items), stateFormatters, hideDefaultParameters);
+        serializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
        return Response.ok(new String(outputStream.toByteArray())).build();
    }

@@ -394,8 +394,8 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
            @Parameter(description = "Array of Thing UIDs. If empty or omitted, return all Things from the Registry.") @Nullable List<String> thingUIDs) {
        String acceptHeader = httpHeaders.getHeaderString(HttpHeaders.ACCEPT);
        logger.debug("createFileFormatForThings: mediaType = {}, thingUIDs = {}", acceptHeader, thingUIDs);
-        ThingFileGenerator generator = getThingFileGenerator(acceptHeader);
-        if (generator == null) {
+        ThingSerializer serializer = getThingSerializer(acceptHeader);
+        if (serializer == null) {
            return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                    .entity("Unsupported media type '" + acceptHeader + "'!").build();
        }
@@ -410,9 +410,9 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
            }
        }
        ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-        String genId = newIdForGeneration();
-        generator.setThingsToBeGenerated(genId, things, true, hideDefaultParameters);
-        generator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
+        String genId = newIdForSerialization();
+        serializer.setThingsToBeSerialized(genId, things, true, hideDefaultParameters);
+        serializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
        return Response.ok(new String(outputStream.toByteArray())).build();
    }

@@ -446,44 +446,44 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
            return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(String.join("\n", errors)).build();
        }

-        ThingFileGenerator thingGenerator = getThingFileGenerator(acceptHeader);
-        ItemFileGenerator itemGenerator = getItemFileGenerator(acceptHeader);
+        ThingSerializer thingSerializer = getThingSerializer(acceptHeader);
+        ItemSerializer itemSerializer = getItemSerializer(acceptHeader);
        ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-        String genId = newIdForGeneration();
+        String genId = newIdForSerialization();
        switch (acceptHeader) {
            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.thing":
-                if (thingGenerator == null) {
+                if (thingSerializer == null) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                            .entity("Unsupported media type '" + acceptHeader + "'!").build();
                } else if (things.isEmpty()) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity("No thing loaded from input").build();
                }
-                thingGenerator.setThingsToBeGenerated(genId, things, hideDefaultChannels, hideDefaultParameters);
-                thingGenerator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
+                thingSerializer.setThingsToBeSerialized(genId, things, hideDefaultChannels, hideDefaultParameters);
+                thingSerializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
                break;
            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item":
-                if (itemGenerator == null) {
+                if (itemSerializer == null) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                            .entity("Unsupported media type '" + acceptHeader + "'!").build();
                } else if (items.isEmpty()) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity("No item loaded from input").build();
                }
-                itemGenerator.setItemsToBeGenerated(genId, items, hideChannelLinksAndMetadata ? List.of() : metadata,
+                itemSerializer.setItemsToBeSerialized(genId, items, hideChannelLinksAndMetadata ? List.of() : metadata,
                        stateFormatters, hideDefaultParameters);
-                itemGenerator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
+                itemSerializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
                break;
            case "application/yaml":
-                if (thingGenerator != null) {
-                    thingGenerator.setThingsToBeGenerated(genId, things, hideDefaultChannels, hideDefaultParameters);
+                if (thingSerializer != null) {
+                    thingSerializer.setThingsToBeSerialized(genId, things, hideDefaultChannels, hideDefaultParameters);
                }
-                if (itemGenerator != null) {
-                    itemGenerator.setItemsToBeGenerated(genId, items,
+                if (itemSerializer != null) {
+                    itemSerializer.setItemsToBeSerialized(genId, items,
                            hideChannelLinksAndMetadata ? List.of() : metadata, stateFormatters, hideDefaultParameters);
                }
-                if (thingGenerator != null) {
-                    thingGenerator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
-                } else if (itemGenerator != null) {
-                    itemGenerator.generateFileFormat(genId, outputStream);
+                if (thingSerializer != null) {
+                    thingSerializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
+                } else if (itemSerializer != null) {
+                    itemSerializer.generateFormat(genId, outputStream);
                }
                break;
            default:
@@ -519,8 +519,8 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
        Map<String, String> stateFormatters = Map.of();
        List<String> errors = new ArrayList<>();
        List<String> warnings = new ArrayList<>();
-        ThingFileParser thingParser = getThingFileParser(contentTypeHeader);
-        ItemFileParser itemParser = getItemFileParser(contentTypeHeader);
+        ThingParser thingParser = getThingParser(contentTypeHeader);
+        ItemParser itemParser = getItemParser(contentTypeHeader);
        String modelName = null;
        String modelName2 = null;
        switch (contentTypeHeader) {
@@ -529,13 +529,13 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                            .entity("Unsupported content type '" + contentTypeHeader + "'!").build();
                }
-                modelName = thingParser.startParsingFileFormat(input, errors, warnings);
+                modelName = thingParser.startParsingFormat(input, errors, warnings);
                if (modelName == null) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(String.join("\n", errors)).build();
                }
-                things = thingParser.getParsedThings(modelName);
+                things = thingParser.getParsedObjects(modelName);
                if (things.isEmpty()) {
-                    thingParser.finishParsingFileFormat(modelName);
+                    thingParser.finishParsingFormat(modelName);
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity("No thing loaded from input").build();
                }
                break;
@@ -544,13 +544,13 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE)
                            .entity("Unsupported content type '" + contentTypeHeader + "'!").build();
                }
-                modelName2 = itemParser.startParsingFileFormat(input, errors, warnings);
+                modelName2 = itemParser.startParsingFormat(input, errors, warnings);
                if (modelName2 == null) {
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(String.join("\n", errors)).build();
                }
-                items = itemParser.getParsedItems(modelName2);
+                items = itemParser.getParsedObjects(modelName2);
                if (items.isEmpty()) {
-                    itemParser.finishParsingFileFormat(modelName2);
+                    itemParser.finishParsingFormat(modelName2);
                    return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity("No item loaded from input").build();
                }
                metadata = itemParser.getParsedMetadata(modelName2);
@@ -563,24 +563,24 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
                break;
            case "application/yaml":
                if (thingParser != null) {
-                    modelName = thingParser.startParsingFileFormat(input, errors, warnings);
+                    modelName = thingParser.startParsingFormat(input, errors, warnings);
                    if (modelName == null) {
                        return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(String.join("\n", errors)).build();
                    }
-                    things = thingParser.getParsedThings(modelName);
+                    things = thingParser.getParsedObjects(modelName);
                    channelLinks = thingParser.getParsedChannelLinks(modelName);
                }
                if (itemParser != null) {
                    // Avoid parsing the input a second time
                    if (modelName == null) {
-                        modelName2 = itemParser.startParsingFileFormat(input, errors, warnings);
+                        modelName2 = itemParser.startParsingFormat(input, errors, warnings);
                        if (modelName2 == null) {
                            return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(String.join("\n", errors))
                                    .build();
                        }
                    }
                    String modelNameToUse = modelName != null ? modelName : Objects.requireNonNull(modelName2);
-                    items = itemParser.getParsedItems(modelNameToUse);
+                    items = itemParser.getParsedObjects(modelNameToUse);
                    metadata = itemParser.getParsedMetadata(modelNameToUse);
                    stateFormatters = itemParser.getParsedStateFormatters(modelNameToUse);
                }
@@ -592,15 +592,15 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
        ExtendedFileFormatDTO result = convertToFileFormatDTO(things, items, metadata, stateFormatters, channelLinks,
                warnings);
        if (modelName != null && thingParser != null) {
-            thingParser.finishParsingFileFormat(modelName);
+            thingParser.finishParsingFormat(modelName);
        }
        if (modelName2 != null && itemParser != null) {
-            itemParser.finishParsingFileFormat(modelName2);
+            itemParser.finishParsingFormat(modelName2);
        }
        return Response.ok(result).build();
    }

-    private String newIdForGeneration() {
+    private String newIdForSerialization() {
        return GEN_ID_PATTERN.formatted(++counter);
    }

@@ -748,35 +748,35 @@ public class FileFormatResource implements RESTResource {
                configDescRegistry);
    }

-    private @Nullable ItemFileGenerator getItemFileGenerator(String mediaType) {
+    private @Nullable ItemSerializer getItemSerializer(String mediaType) {
        return switch (mediaType) {
-            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> itemFileGenerators.get("DSL");
-            case "application/yaml" -> itemFileGenerators.get("YAML");
+            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> itemSerializers.get("DSL");
+            case "application/yaml" -> itemSerializers.get("YAML");
            default -> null;
        };
    }

-    private @Nullable ThingFileGenerator getThingFileGenerator(String mediaType) {
+    private @Nullable ThingSerializer getThingSerializer(String mediaType) {
        return switch (mediaType) {
-            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.thing" -> thingFileGenerators.get("DSL");
-            case "application/yaml" -> thingFileGenerators.get("YAML");
+            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.thing" -> thingSerializers.get("DSL");
+            case "application/yaml" -> thingSerializers.get("YAML");
            default -> null;
        };
    }

-    private @Nullable ItemFileParser getItemFileParser(String contentType) {
+    private @Nullable ItemParser getItemParser(String contentType) {
        return switch (contentType) {
-            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> itemFileParsers.get("DSL");
-            case "application/yaml" -> itemFileParsers.get("YAML");
+            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> itemParsers.get("DSL");
+            case "application/yaml" -> itemParsers.get("YAML");
            default -> null;
        };
    }

-    private @Nullable ThingFileParser getThingFileParser(String contentType) {
+    private @Nullable ThingParser getThingParser(String contentType) {
        return switch (contentType) {
-            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.thing" -> thingFileParsers.get("DSL");
-            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> thingFileParsers.get("DSL");
-            case "application/yaml" -> thingFileParsers.get("YAML");
+            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.thing" -> thingParsers.get("DSL");
+            case "text/vnd.openhab.dsl.item" -> thingParsers.get("DSL");
+            case "application/yaml" -> thingParsers.get("YAML");
            default -> null;
        };
    }
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ import org.openhab.core.items.GroupItem;
 import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
 import org.openhab.core.items.ItemUtil;
 import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.AbstractItemFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.AbstractItemSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.model.core.ModelRepository;
 import org.openhab.core.model.item.internal.GenericItemProvider;
 import org.openhab.core.model.item.internal.GenericMetadataProvider;
@@ -56,16 +56,16 @@ import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

 /**
- * {@link DslItemFileConverter} is the DSL file converter for {@link Item} object
- * with the capabilities of parsing and generating file.
+ * {@link DslItemConverter} is the DSL converter for {@link Item} objects
+ * with the capabilities of parsing and serializing files.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-@Component(immediate = true, service = { ItemFileGenerator.class, ItemFileParser.class })
-public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements ItemFileParser {
+@Component(immediate = true, service = { ItemSerializer.class, ItemParser.class })
+public class DslItemConverter extends AbstractItemSerializer implements ItemParser {

-    private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DslItemFileConverter.class);
+    private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DslItemConverter.class);

    private final Map<String, ItemModel> elementsToGenerate = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements I
    private final ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescriptionRegistry;

    @Activate
-    public DslItemFileConverter(final @Reference ModelRepository modelRepository,
+    public DslItemConverter(final @Reference ModelRepository modelRepository,
            final @Reference GenericItemProvider itemProvider,
            final @Reference GenericMetadataProvider metadataProvider,
            final @Reference ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescriptionRegistry) {
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@ public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements I
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatGenerator() {
+    public String getGeneratedFormat() {
        return "DSL";
    }

    @Override
-    public void setItemsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
+    public void setItemsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
            Map<String, String> stateFormatters, boolean hideDefaultParameters) {
        if (items.isEmpty()) {
            return;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements I
    }

    @Override
-    public void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
+    public void generateFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
        ItemModel model = elementsToGenerate.remove(id);
        if (model != null) {
            modelRepository.generateFileFormat(out, "items", model);
@@ -299,18 +299,18 @@ public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements I
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatParser() {
+    public String getParserFormat() {
        return "DSL";
    }

    @Override
-    public @Nullable String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
+    public @Nullable String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
        ByteArrayInputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(syntax.getBytes());
        return modelRepository.createIsolatedModel("items", inputStream, errors, warnings);
    }

    @Override
-    public Collection<Item> getParsedItems(String modelName) {
+    public Collection<Item> getParsedObjects(String modelName) {
        return itemProvider.getAllFromModel(modelName);
    }

@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ public class DslItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements I
    }

    @Override
-    public void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName) {
+    public void finishParsingFormat(String modelName) {
        modelRepository.removeModel(modelName);
    }
 }
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ import org.openhab.core.thing.Bridge;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Channel;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.ThingUID;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.AbstractThingFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.AbstractThingSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.type.ChannelKind;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.type.ChannelTypeRegistry;
@@ -57,16 +57,16 @@ import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

 /**
- * {@link DslThingFileConverter} is the DSL file converter for {@link Thing} object
- * with the capabilities of parsing and generating file.
+ * {@link DslThingConverter} is the DSL file converter for {@link Thing} objects
+ * with the capabilities of parsing and serializing files.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-@Component(immediate = true, service = { ThingFileGenerator.class, ThingFileParser.class })
-public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements ThingFileParser {
+@Component(immediate = true, service = { ThingSerializer.class, ThingParser.class })
+public class DslThingConverter extends AbstractThingSerializer implements ThingParser {

-    private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DslThingFileConverter.class);
+    private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DslThingConverter.class);

    private final ModelRepository modelRepository;
    private final GenericThingProvider thingProvider;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements
    private final Map<String, ThingModel> elementsToGenerate = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();

    @Activate
-    public DslThingFileConverter(final @Reference ModelRepository modelRepository,
+    public DslThingConverter(final @Reference ModelRepository modelRepository,
            final @Reference GenericThingProvider thingProvider,
            final @Reference GenericItemChannelLinkProvider itemChannelLinkProvider,
            final @Reference ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry,
@@ -91,12 +91,12 @@ public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatGenerator() {
+    public String getGeneratedFormat() {
        return "DSL";
    }

    @Override
-    public void setThingsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
+    public void setThingsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
            boolean hideDefaultParameters) {
        if (things.isEmpty()) {
            return;
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
+    public void generateFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
        ThingModel model = elementsToGenerate.remove(id);
        if (model != null) {
            // Double quotes are unexpectedly generated in thing UID when the segment contains a -.
@@ -235,18 +235,18 @@ public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatParser() {
+    public String getParserFormat() {
        return "DSL";
    }

    @Override
-    public @Nullable String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
+    public @Nullable String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
        ByteArrayInputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(syntax.getBytes());
        return modelRepository.createIsolatedModel("things", inputStream, errors, warnings);
    }

    @Override
-    public Collection<Thing> getParsedThings(String modelName) {
+    public Collection<Thing> getParsedObjects(String modelName) {
        return thingProvider.getAllFromModel(modelName);
    }

@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ public class DslThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName) {
+    public void finishParsingFormat(String modelName) {
        modelRepository.removeModel(modelName);
    }
 }
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ public class YamlModelRepositoryImpl implements WatchService.WatchEventListener,

        List<String> newElementNames = new ArrayList<>();
        // get sub-elements
-        Iterator<Map.Entry<String, JsonNode>> it = fileContent.fields();
+        Iterator<Map.Entry<String, JsonNode>> it = fileContent.properties().iterator();
        while (it.hasNext()) {
            Map.Entry<String, JsonNode> element = it.next();
            String elementName = element.getKey();
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ import org.openhab.core.items.GroupItem;
 import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
 import org.openhab.core.items.ItemUtil;
 import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.AbstractItemFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.AbstractItemSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter.ItemSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.library.CoreItemFactory;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.YamlElement;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.YamlModelRepository;
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.Component;
 import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.Reference;

 /**
- * {@link YamlItemFileConverter} is the YAML file converter for {@link Item} object.
+ * {@link YamlItemConverter} is the YAML converter for {@link Item} objects.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-@Component(immediate = true, service = { ItemFileGenerator.class, ItemFileParser.class })
-public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements ItemFileParser {
+@Component(immediate = true, service = { ItemSerializer.class, ItemParser.class })
+public class YamlItemConverter extends AbstractItemSerializer implements ItemParser {

    private final YamlModelRepository modelRepository;
    private final YamlItemProvider itemProvider;
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements
    private final ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescriptionRegistry;

    @Activate
-    public YamlItemFileConverter(final @Reference YamlModelRepository modelRepository,
+    public YamlItemConverter(final @Reference YamlModelRepository modelRepository,
            final @Reference YamlItemProvider itemProvider, final @Reference YamlMetadataProvider metadataProvider,
            final @Reference YamlChannelLinkProvider channelLinkProvider,
            final @Reference ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescRegistry) {
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatGenerator() {
+    public String getGeneratedFormat() {
        return "YAML";
    }

    @Override
-    public void setItemsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
+    public void setItemsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
            Map<String, String> stateFormatters, boolean hideDefaultParameters) {
        List<YamlElement> elements = new ArrayList<>();
        items.forEach(item -> {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
+    public void generateFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
        modelRepository.generateFileFormat(id, out);
    }

@@ -283,18 +283,18 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatParser() {
+    public String getParserFormat() {
        return "YAML";
    }

    @Override
-    public @Nullable String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
+    public @Nullable String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
        ByteArrayInputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(syntax.getBytes());
        return modelRepository.createIsolatedModel(inputStream, errors, warnings);
    }

    @Override
-    public Collection<Item> getParsedItems(String modelName) {
+    public Collection<Item> getParsedObjects(String modelName) {
        return itemProvider.getAllFromModel(modelName);
    }

@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverter extends AbstractItemFileGenerator implements
    }

    @Override
-    public void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName) {
+    public void finishParsingFormat(String modelName) {
        modelRepository.removeIsolatedModel(modelName);
    }
 }
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ import org.openhab.core.thing.Bridge;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Channel;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.ThingUID;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.AbstractThingFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileGenerator;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingFileParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.AbstractThingSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter.ThingSerializer;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.type.ChannelKind;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.type.ChannelType;
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.Component;
 import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.Reference;

 /**
- * {@link YamlThingFileConverter} is the YAML file converter for {@link Thing} object.
+ * {@link YamlThingConverter} is the YAML converter for {@link Thing} objects.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-@Component(immediate = true, service = { ThingFileGenerator.class, ThingFileParser.class })
-public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implements ThingFileParser {
+@Component(immediate = true, service = { ThingSerializer.class, ThingParser.class })
+public class YamlThingConverter extends AbstractThingSerializer implements ThingParser {

    private final YamlModelRepository modelRepository;
    private final YamlThingProvider thingProvider;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implement
    private final LocaleProvider localeProvider;

    @Activate
-    public YamlThingFileConverter(final @Reference YamlModelRepository modelRepository,
+    public YamlThingConverter(final @Reference YamlModelRepository modelRepository,
            final @Reference YamlThingProvider thingProvider,
            final @Reference YamlChannelLinkProvider itemChannelLinkProvider,
            final @Reference ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry,
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@ public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implement
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatGenerator() {
+    public String getGeneratedFormat() {
        return "YAML";
    }

    @Override
-    public void setThingsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
+    public void setThingsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
            boolean hideDefaultParameters) {
        List<YamlElement> elements = new ArrayList<>();
        things.forEach(thing -> {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implement
    }

    @Override
-    public void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
+    public void generateFormat(String id, OutputStream out) {
        modelRepository.generateFileFormat(id, out);
    }

@@ -165,18 +165,18 @@ public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implement
    }

    @Override
-    public String getFileFormatParser() {
+    public String getParserFormat() {
        return "YAML";
    }

    @Override
-    public @Nullable String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
+    public @Nullable String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings) {
        ByteArrayInputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(syntax.getBytes());
        return modelRepository.createIsolatedModel(inputStream, errors, warnings);
    }

    @Override
-    public Collection<Thing> getParsedThings(String modelName) {
+    public Collection<Thing> getParsedObjects(String modelName) {
        return thingProvider.getAllFromModel(modelName);
    }

@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public class YamlThingFileConverter extends AbstractThingFileGenerator implement
    }

    @Override
-    public void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName) {
+    public void finishParsingFormat(String modelName) {
        modelRepository.removeIsolatedModel(modelName);
    }
 }
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlItemProvider;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlMetadataProvider;

@NonNullByDefault
-public class YamlItemFileConverterTest {
+public class YamlItemConverterTest {

    @Test
    public void testExpireMetadataConvertedToShortForm() {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverterTest {

    private YamlItemDTO convertWithMetadata(Metadata metadata, String itemType) {
        CapturingYamlModelRepository repository = new CapturingYamlModelRepository();
-        YamlItemFileConverter converter = new YamlItemFileConverter(repository, mock(YamlItemProvider.class),
+        YamlItemConverter converter = new YamlItemConverter(repository, mock(YamlItemProvider.class),
                mock(YamlMetadataProvider.class), mock(YamlChannelLinkProvider.class),
                mock(ConfigDescriptionRegistry.class));

@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public class YamlItemFileConverterTest {
        when(item.getGroupNames()).thenReturn(List.of());
        when(item.getTags()).thenReturn(Set.of());

-        converter.setItemsToBeGenerated("id", List.of(item), List.of(metadata), Map.of(), false);
+        converter.setItemsToBeSerialized("id", List.of(item), List.of(metadata), Map.of(), false);

        List<YamlElement> elements = repository.getElements();
        assertEquals(1, elements.size());
@@ -37,19 +37,19 @@ import org.openhab.core.thing.type.ThingTypeRegistry;
 import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.Activate;

 /**
- * {@link AbstractThingFileGenerator} is the base class for any {@link Thing} file generator.
+ * {@link AbstractThingSerializer} is the base class for any {@link Thing} serializer.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-public abstract class AbstractThingFileGenerator implements ThingFileGenerator {
+public abstract class AbstractThingSerializer implements ThingSerializer {

    protected final ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry;
    protected final ChannelTypeRegistry channelTypeRegistry;
    protected final ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescRegistry;

    @Activate
-    public AbstractThingFileGenerator(ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry, ChannelTypeRegistry channelTypeRegistry,
+    public AbstractThingSerializer(ThingTypeRegistry thingTypeRegistry, ChannelTypeRegistry channelTypeRegistry,
            ConfigDescriptionRegistry configDescRegistry) {
        this.thingTypeRegistry = thingTypeRegistry;
        this.channelTypeRegistry = channelTypeRegistry;
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
- *
- * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
- * information.
- *
- * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
- * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
- * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
- */
-package org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter;
-
-import java.io.OutputStream;
-import java.util.List;
-
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
-
-/**
- * {@link ThingFileGenerator} is the interface to implement by any file generator for {@link Thing} object.
- *
- * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
- */
-@NonNullByDefault
-public interface ThingFileGenerator {
-
-    /**
-     * Returns the format of the file.
-     *
-     * @return the file format
-     */
-    String getFileFormatGenerator();
-
-    /**
-     * Define the list of things to be generated and associate them to an identifier.
-     *
-     * @param id the identifier of the file format generation
-     * @param things the things
-     * @param hideDefaultChannels true to hide the non extensible channels having a default configuration
-     * @param hideDefaultParameters true to hide the configuration parameters having the default value
-     */
-    void setThingsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
-            boolean hideDefaultParameters);
-
-    /**
-     * Generate the file format for all data that were associated to the provided identifier.
-     *
-     * @param id the identifier of the file format generation
-     * @param out the output stream to write to
-     */
-    void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out);
-}
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
- *
- * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
- * information.
- *
- * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
- * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
- * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
- */
-package org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter;
-
-import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.List;
-
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink;
-
-/**
- * {@link ThingFileParser} is the interface to implement by any file parser for {@link Thing} object.
- *
- * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
- */
-@NonNullByDefault
-public interface ThingFileParser {
-
-    /**
-     * Returns the format of the syntax.
-     *
-     * @return the syntax format
-     */
-    String getFileFormatParser();
-
-    /**
-     * Parse the provided syntax in file format without impacting the thing registry.
-     *
-     * @param syntax the syntax in file format
-     * @param errors the list to be used to fill the errors
-     * @param warnings the list to be used to fill the warnings
-     * @return the model name used for parsing if the parsing succeeded without errors; null otherwise
-     */
-    @Nullable
-    String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings);
-
-    /**
-     * Get the {@link Thing} objects found when parsing the file format.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     * @return the collection of things
-     */
-    Collection<Thing> getParsedThings(String modelName);
-
-    /**
-     * Get the {@link ItemChannelLink} objects found when parsing the file format.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     * @return the collection of items channel links
-     */
-    Collection<ItemChannelLink> getParsedChannelLinks(String modelName);
-
-    /**
-     * Release the data from a previously started file format parsing.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     */
-    void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName);
-}
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
+import org.openhab.core.converter.ObjectParser;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink;
+
+/**
+ * {@link ThingParser} is the interface to implement by any {@link Thing} parser.
+ *
+ * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ThingParser extends ObjectParser<Thing> {
+
+    /**
+     * Parse the provided {@code syntax} string without impacting the thing registry.
+     *
+     * @param syntax the syntax in format.
+     * @param errors the {@link List} to use to report errors.
+     * @param warnings the {@link List} to be used to report warnings.
+     * @return The model name used for parsing if the parsing succeeded without errors; {@code null} otherwise.
+     */
+    @Override
+    @Nullable
+    String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the {@link Thing} objects found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name used when parsing.
+     * @return The {@link Collection} of {@link Thing}s.
+     */
+    @Override
+    Collection<Thing> getParsedObjects(String modelName);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the {@link ItemChannelLink} objects found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name used when parsing.
+     * @return The {@link Collection} of {@link ItemChannelLink}s.
+     */
+    Collection<ItemChannelLink> getParsedChannelLinks(String modelName);
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.thing.fileconverter;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+import org.openhab.core.converter.ObjectSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
+
+/**
+ * {@link ThingSerializer} is the interface to implement by any file generator for {@link Thing} object.
+ *
+ * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ThingSerializer extends ObjectSerializer<Thing> {
+
+    /**
+     * Specify the {@link List} of {@link Thing}s to serialize and associate them with an identifier.
+     *
+     * @param id the identifier of the {@link Thing} format generation.
+     * @param things the {@link List} of {@link Thing}s to serialize.
+     * @param hideDefaultChannels {@code true} to hide the non extensible channels having a default configuration.
+     * @param hideDefaultParameters {@code true} to hide the configuration parameters having a default value.
+     */
+    void setThingsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Thing> things, boolean hideDefaultChannels,
+            boolean hideDefaultParameters);
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.converter;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
+
+/**
+ * A generic interface for parsers that parse strings into specific object types like Things, Items, Rules etc.
+ *
+ * @param <T> The object type.
+ *
+ * @author Ravi Nadahar - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ObjectParser<T> {
+
+    /**
+     * Get the name of the format.
+     *
+     * @return The format name.
+     */
+    String getParserFormat();
+
+    /**
+     * Parse the provided syntax in format without impacting any object registries.
+     *
+     * @param syntax the syntax in format.
+     * @param errors the {@link List} to use to report errors.
+     * @param warnings the {@link List} to be used to report warnings.
+     * @return The model name used for parsing if the parsing succeeded without errors; {@code null} otherwise.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the objects found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name whose objects to get.
+     * @return The {@link Collection} of objects.
+     */
+    Collection<T> getParsedObjects(String modelName);
+
+    /**
+     * Release the resources from a previously started format parsing.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name whose resources to release.
+     */
+    void finishParsingFormat(String modelName);
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.converter;
+
+import java.io.OutputStream;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+
+/**
+ * A generic interface for serializers that serialize specific object types like Things, Items, Rules etc. into a
+ * serialized representation that is written to an {@link OutputStream}.
+ *
+ * @param <T> The object type.
+ *
+ * @author Ravi Nadahar - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ObjectSerializer<T> {
+
+    /**
+     * Get the name of the format.
+     *
+     * @return The format name.
+     */
+    String getGeneratedFormat();
+
+    /**
+     * Generate the format for all data that were associated to the provided identifier.
+     *
+     * @param id the identifier of the format generation.
+     * @param out The {@link OutputStream} to write to.
+     */
+    void generateFormat(String id, OutputStream out);
+}
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
 import org.openhab.core.library.CoreItemFactory;

 /**
- * {@link AbstractItemFileGenerator} is the base class for any {@link Item} file generator.
+ * {@link AbstractItemSerializer} is the base class for any {@link Item} serializer.
 *
 * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
 */
@NonNullByDefault
-public abstract class AbstractItemFileGenerator implements ItemFileGenerator {
+public abstract class AbstractItemSerializer implements ItemSerializer {

-    public AbstractItemFileGenerator() {
+    public AbstractItemSerializer() {
    }

    /**
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
- *
- * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
- * information.
- *
- * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
- * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
- * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
- */
-package org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter;
-
-import java.io.OutputStream;
-import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
-import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
-import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
-
-/**
- * {@link ItemFileGenerator} is the interface to implement by any file generator for {@link Item} object.
- *
- * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
- */
-@NonNullByDefault
-public interface ItemFileGenerator {
-
-    /**
-     * Returns the format of the file.
-     *
-     * @return the file format
-     */
-    String getFileFormatGenerator();
-
-    /**
-     * Define the list of items (including metadata and channel links) to be generated and associate them
-     * to an identifier.
-     *
-     * @param id the identifier of the file format generation
-     * @param items the items
-     * @param metadata the provided collection of metadata for these items (including channel links)
-     * @param stateFormatters the optional state formatter for each item
-     * @param hideDefaultParameters true to hide the configuration parameters having the default value
-     */
-    void setItemsToBeGenerated(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
-            Map<String, String> stateFormatters, boolean hideDefaultParameters);
-
-    /**
-     * Generate the file format for all data that were associated to the provided identifier.
-     *
-     * @param id the identifier of the file format generation
-     * @param out the output stream to write to
-     */
-    void generateFileFormat(String id, OutputStream out);
-}
@@ -1,80 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
- *
- * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
- * information.
- *
- * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
- * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
- * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
- */
-package org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter;
-
-import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
-import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
-import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
-import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
-
-/**
- * {@link ItemFileParser} is the interface to implement by any file parser for {@link Item} object.
- *
- * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
- */
-@NonNullByDefault
-public interface ItemFileParser {
-
-    /**
-     * Returns the format of the syntax.
-     *
-     * @return the syntax format
-     */
-    String getFileFormatParser();
-
-    /**
-     * Parse the provided syntax in file format without impacting the item and metadata registries.
-     *
-     * @param syntax the syntax in file format
-     * @param errors the list to be used to fill the errors
-     * @param warnings the list to be used to fill the warnings
-     * @return the model name used for parsing if the parsing succeeded without errors; null otherwise
-     */
-    @Nullable
-    String startParsingFileFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings);
-
-    /**
-     * Get the {@link Item} objects found when parsing the file format.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     * @return the collection of items
-     */
-    Collection<Item> getParsedItems(String modelName);
-
-    /**
-     * Get the {@link Metadata} objects found when parsing the file format.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     * @return the collection of metadata
-     */
-    Collection<Metadata> getParsedMetadata(String modelName);
-
-    /**
-     * Get the state formatters found when parsing the file format.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     * @return the state formatters as a Map per item name
-     */
-    Map<String, String> getParsedStateFormatters(String modelName);
-
-    /**
-     * Release the data from a previously started file format parsing.
-     *
-     * @param modelName the model name used for parsing
-     */
-    void finishParsingFileFormat(String modelName);
-}
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
+import org.openhab.core.converter.ObjectParser;
+import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
+import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
+
+/**
+ * {@link ItemParser} is the interface to implement by any file parser for {@link Item} object.
+ *
+ * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ItemParser extends ObjectParser<Item> {
+
+    /**
+     * Parse the provided {@code syntax} string without impacting the item and metadata registries.
+     *
+     * @param syntax the syntax in format.
+     * @param errors the {@link List} to use to report errors.
+     * @param warnings the {@link List} to be used to report warnings.
+     * @return The model name used for parsing if the parsing succeeded without errors; {@code null} otherwise.
+     */
+    @Override
+    @Nullable
+    String startParsingFormat(String syntax, List<String> errors, List<String> warnings);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the {@link Item} objects found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name used when parsing.
+     * @return The {@link Collection} of {@link Item}s.
+     */
+    @Override
+    Collection<Item> getParsedObjects(String modelName);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the {@link Metadata} objects found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name used when parsing.
+     * @return The {@link Collection} of {@link Metadata}.
+     */
+    Collection<Metadata> getParsedMetadata(String modelName);
+
+    /**
+     * Get the state formatters found when parsing the format.
+     *
+     * @param modelName the model name used when parsing.
+     * @return the state formatters as a {@link Map} per item name.
+     */
+    Map<String, String> getParsedStateFormatters(String modelName);
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2026 Contributors to the openHAB project
+ *
+ * See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+ * information.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ */
+package org.openhab.core.items.fileconverter;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
+import org.openhab.core.converter.ObjectSerializer;
+import org.openhab.core.items.Item;
+import org.openhab.core.items.Metadata;
+
+/**
+ * {@link ItemSerializer} is the interface to implement by any file generator for {@link Item} object.
+ *
+ * @author Laurent Garnier - Initial contribution
+ */
+@NonNullByDefault
+public interface ItemSerializer extends ObjectSerializer<Item> {
+
+    /**
+     * Specify the {@link List} of {@link Item}s (including {@link Metadata} and channel links) to be serialized and
+     * associate them with an identifier.
+     *
+     * @param id the identifier of the {@link Item} format generation.
+     * @param items the {@link List} of {@link Item}s to serialize.
+     * @param metadata the provided {@link Collection} of {@link Metadata} for the {@link Item}s (including channel
+     *            links).
+     * @param stateFormatters a {@link Map} of {@link Item} name and state formatter for each {@link Item}. Callers
+     *            should pass an empty map if no state formatters are provided.
+     * @param hideDefaultParameters {@code true} to hide the configuration parameters having a default value.
+     */
+    void setItemsToBeSerialized(String id, List<Item> items, Collection<Metadata> metadata,
+            Map<String, String> stateFormatters, boolean hideDefaultParameters);
+}