refactored the EncoderInterface

Encoder/DecoderInterface.php

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * Defines the interface of encoders that are able to decode their own format
+ * Defines the interface of decoders
  *
  * @author Jordi Boggiano <j.boggiano@seld.be>
  */
@@ -22,9 +22,17 @@ interface DecoderInterface
     /**
      * Decodes a string into PHP data
      *
-     * @param string $data data to decode
-     * @param string $format format to decode from
+     * @param scalar $data data to decode
+     * @param string $format format name
      * @return mixed
      */
     function decode($data, $format);
+
+    /**
+     * Checks whether the serializer can decode from given format
+     *
+     * @param string $format format name
+     * @return Boolean
+     */
+    function supportsDecoding($format);
 }

Encoder/EncoderInterface.php

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 namespace Symfony\Component\Serializer\Encoder;
 
-
 /*
  * This file is part of the Symfony framework.
  *
@@ -20,11 +19,19 @@
 interface EncoderInterface
 {
     /**
-     * Encodes data into a string
+     * Encodes data into the given format
      *
      * @param mixed $data data to encode
-     * @param string $format format to encode to
-     * @return string
+     * @param string $format format name
+     * @return scalar
      */
     function encode($data, $format);
+
+    /**
+     * Checks whether the serializer can encode to given format
+     *
+     * @param string $format format name
+     * @return Boolean
+     */
+    function supportsEncoding($format);
 }

Encoder/JsonEncoder.php

@@ -34,4 +34,26 @@ public function decode($data, $format)
     {
         return json_decode($data, true);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks whether the serializer can encode to given format
+     *
+     * @param string $format format name
+     * @return Boolean
+     */
+    public function supportsEncoding($format)
+    {
+        return 'json' === $format;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks whether the serializer can decode from given format
+     *
+     * @param string $format format name
+     * @return Boolean
+     */
+    public function supportsDecoding($format)
+    {
+        return 'json' === $format;
+    }
 }

Encoder/XmlEncoder.php

@@ -71,6 +71,28 @@ public function decode($data, $format)
         return $this->parseXml($xml);
     }
 
+    /**
+      * Checks whether the serializer can encode to given format
+      *
+      * @param string $format format name
+      * @return Boolean
+      */
+     public function supportsEncoding($format)
+     {
+         return 'xml' === $format;
+     }
+
+     /**
+      * Checks whether the serializer can decode from given format
+      *
+      * @param string $format format name
+      * @return Boolean
+      */
+     public function supportsDecoding($format)
+     {
+         return 'xml' === $format;
+     }
+
     /**
      * Sets the root node name
      * @param string $name root node name

NormalizerInterface.php

@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 namespace Symfony\Component\Serializer;
 
-use Symfony\Component\Serializer\Encoder\EncoderInterface;
-
 /*
  * This file is part of the Symfony framework.
  *
@@ -14,7 +12,7 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * Defines the interface of the Normalizer
+ * Defines the interface of Normalizers
  *
  * @author Jordi Boggiano <j.boggiano@seld.be>
  */

Serializer.php

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * @author Johannes M. Schmitt <schmittjoh@gmail.com>
  * @author Lukas Kahwe Smith <smith@pooteeweet.org>
  */
-class Serializer implements SerializerInterface, NormalizerInterface, EncoderInterface
+class Serializer implements SerializerInterface, NormalizerInterface, EncoderInterface, DecoderInterface
 {
     protected $normalizers = array();
     protected $encoders = array();