add(conduit): refactoring conduit

packages/typeforge/.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# https://dart.dev/guides/libraries/private-files
+# Created by `dart pub`
+.dart_tool/
+
+# Avoid committing pubspec.lock for library packages; see
+# https://dart.dev/guides/libraries/private-files#pubspeclock.
+pubspec.lock

packages/typeforge/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+## 1.0.0
+
+- Initial version.

packages/typeforge/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+<p align="center"><a href="https://protevus.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://git.protevus.com/protevus/branding/raw/branch/main/protevus-logo-bg.png"></a></p>
+
+# protevus_typeforge
+ 
+[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/conduit.dart/dart-codable.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/conduit.dart/dart-codable)
+
+A library for encoding and decoding dynamic data into Dart objects.
+
+## Basic Usage 
+
+Data objects extend `Coding`:
+
+```dart
+class Person extends Coding {
+  String name;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    // must call super
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    name = object.decode("name");   
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encode("name", name);
+  }
+}
+```
+
+An object that extends `Coding` can be read from JSON: 
+
+```dart
+final json = json.decode(...);
+final archive = KeyedArchive.unarchive(json);
+final person = Person()..decode(archive);
+```
+
+Objects that extend `Coding` may also be written to JSON:
+
+```dart
+final person = Person()..name = "Bob";
+final archive = KeyedArchive.archive(person);
+final json = json.encode(archive);
+```
+
+`Coding` objects can encode or decode other `Coding` objects, including lists of `Coding` objects and maps where `Coding` objects are values. You must provide a closure that instantiates the `Coding` object being decoded.
+
+```dart
+class Team extends Coding {
+
+  List<Person> members;
+  Person manager;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object); // must call super
+
+    members = object.decodeObjects("members", () => Person());
+    manager = object.decodeObject("manager", () => Person());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encodeObject("manager", manager);
+    object.encodeObjects("members", members);
+  }
+}
+```
+
+## Dynamic Type Casting 
+
+Types with primitive type arguments (e.g., `List<String>` or `Map<String, int>`) are a particular pain point when decoding. Override `castMap` in `Coding` to perform type coercion.
+You must import `package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart as cast` and prefix type names with `cast`.
+
+```dart
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart' as cast;
+class Container extends Coding {  
+  List<String> things;
+
+  @override
+  Map<String, cast.Cast<dynamic>> get castMap => {
+    "things": cast.List(cast.String)
+  };
+  
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    things = object.decode("things");
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encode("things", things);
+  }
+}
+
+``` 
+
+
+## Document References
+
+`Coding` objects may be referred to multiple times in a document without duplicating their structure. An object is referenced with the `$key` key. 
+For example, consider the following JSON: 
+
+```json
+{
+  "components": {
+    "thing": {
+      "name": "The Thing"
+    }    
+  },
+  "data": {
+    "$ref": "#/components/thing"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+In the above, the decoded value of `data` inherits all properties from `/components/thing`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "$ref": "#/components/thing",
+  "name": "The Thing"
+}
+```
+
+You may create references in your in-memory data structures through the `Coding.referenceURI`. 
+
+```dart
+final person = Person()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/teams/engineering/manager");
+```
+
+The above person is encoded as:
+
+```json
+{
+  "$ref": "#/teams/engineering/manager"
+}
+```
+
+You may have cyclical references.
+
+See the specification for [JSON Schema](http://json-schema.org) and the `$ref` keyword for more details.
+

packages/typeforge/analysis_options.yaml

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+# This file configures the static analysis results for your project (errors,
+# warnings, and lints).
+#
+# This enables the 'recommended' set of lints from `package:lints`.
+# This set helps identify many issues that may lead to problems when running
+# or consuming Dart code, and enforces writing Dart using a single, idiomatic
+# style and format.
+#
+# If you want a smaller set of lints you can change this to specify
+# 'package:lints/core.yaml'. These are just the most critical lints
+# (the recommended set includes the core lints).
+# The core lints are also what is used by pub.dev for scoring packages.
+
+include: package:lints/recommended.yaml
+
+# Uncomment the following section to specify additional rules.
+
+# linter:
+#   rules:
+#     - camel_case_types
+
+# analyzer:
+#   exclude:
+#     - path/to/excluded/files/**
+
+# For more information about the core and recommended set of lints, see
+# https://dart.dev/go/core-lints
+
+# For additional information about configuring this file, see
+# https://dart.dev/guides/language/analysis-options

packages/typeforge/lib/cast.dart

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+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+/// The `cast` library provides a collection of utilities for type casting and conversion in Dart.
+///
+/// This library exports several modules that offer different casting functionalities:
+/// - `base_cast.dart`: Contains base casting operations.
+/// - `primitive_cast.dart`: Provides casting methods for primitive data types.
+/// - `collection_cast.dart`: Offers casting utilities for collections.
+/// - `special_cast.dart`: Includes casting operations for special data types.
+/// - `utility_cast.dart`: Contains additional utility functions for casting.
+/// - `constants.dart`: Defines constants used across the casting operations.
+///
+/// These modules collectively provide a comprehensive set of tools for handling
+/// various type conversion scenarios in Dart applications.
+library cast;
+
+export 'src/base_cast.dart';
+export 'src/primitive_cast.dart';
+export 'src/collection_cast.dart';
+export 'src/special_cast.dart';
+export 'src/utility_cast.dart';
+export 'src/constants.dart';

packages/typeforge/lib/codable.dart

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+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+/// The `codable` library provides functionality for encoding and decoding objects.
+///
+/// This library exports several core components:
+/// - `referenceable.dart`: Defines objects that can be referenced.
+/// - `coding.dart`: Contains encoding and decoding interfaces.
+/// - `keyed_archive.dart`: Implements a key-value storage for encoded objects.
+/// - `list_archive.dart`: Implements a list-based storage for encoded objects.
+/// - `reference_resolver.dart`: Handles resolving references within encoded data.
+///
+/// These components work together to provide a robust system for object serialization
+/// and deserialization, supporting both simple and complex data structures.
+library codable;
+
+export 'src/referenceable.dart';
+export 'src/coding.dart';
+export 'src/keyed_archive.dart';
+export 'src/list_archive.dart';
+export 'src/reference_resolver.dart';

packages/typeforge/lib/src/base_cast.dart

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+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:core' as core;
+import 'dart:core' hide Map, String, int;
+
+/// Represents an exception thrown when a cast operation fails.
+///
+/// This class is used to provide detailed information about the context
+/// and reason for a failed cast operation.
+///
+/// [context] represents the location or scope where the cast failed.
+/// [key] is an optional identifier for the specific element that failed to cast.
+/// [message] provides additional details about the failure.
+class FailedCast implements core.Exception {
+  dynamic context;
+  dynamic key;
+  core.String message;
+  FailedCast(this.context, this.key, this.message);
+  @override
+  core.String toString() {
+    if (key == null) {
+      return "Failed cast at $context: $message";
+    }
+    return "Failed cast at $context $key: $message";
+  }
+}
+
+/// An abstract class representing a type cast operation.
+///
+/// This class defines the structure for implementing type casting
+/// from dynamic types to a specific type T.
+///
+/// The [cast] method is the public API for performing the cast,
+/// while [safeCast] is the internal implementation that can be
+/// overridden by subclasses to define specific casting behavior.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// class MyCustomCast extends Cast<MyType> {
+///   @override
+///   MyType _cast(dynamic from, String context, dynamic key) {
+///     // Custom casting logic here
+///   }
+/// }
+/// ```
+abstract class Cast<T> {
+  /// Constructs a new [Cast] instance.
+  ///
+  /// This constructor is declared as `const` to allow for compile-time
+  /// constant instances of [Cast] subclasses. This can be beneficial for
+  /// performance and memory usage in certain scenarios.
+  const Cast();
+
+  /// Performs a safe cast operation from a dynamic type to type T.
+  ///
+  /// This method wraps the [safeCast] method with additional error handling:
+  /// - If a [FailedCast] exception is thrown, it's rethrown as-is.
+  /// - For any other exception, it's caught and wrapped in a new [FailedCast] exception.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [from]: The value to be cast.
+  ///   [context]: A string describing the context where the cast is performed.
+  ///   [key]: An optional identifier for the specific element being cast.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The cast value of type T.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [FailedCast]: If the cast fails, either from [safeCast] or from wrapping another exception.
+  T _safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    try {
+      return safeCast(from, context, key);
+    } on FailedCast {
+      rethrow;
+    } catch (e) {
+      throw FailedCast(context, key, e.toString());
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Performs a safe cast operation from a dynamic type to type T.
+  ///
+  /// This method is a convenience wrapper around [_safeCast] that provides
+  /// a default context of "toplevel" and a null key.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [from]: The value to be cast.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The cast value of type T.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [FailedCast]: If the cast operation fails.
+  T cast(dynamic from) => _safeCast(from, "toplevel", null);
+
+  /// Performs a safe cast operation from a dynamic type to type T.
+  ///
+  /// This method should be implemented by subclasses to define the specific
+  /// casting behavior for the type T.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [from]: The value to be cast.
+  ///   [context]: A string describing the context where the cast is performed.
+  ///   [key]: An optional identifier for the specific element being cast.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The cast value of type T.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [FailedCast]: If the cast operation fails.
+  T safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key);
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/coding.dart

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+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart' as cast;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+
+/// Abstract class representing a coding mechanism.
+///
+/// This class provides a framework for encoding and decoding objects.
+/// It includes a [referenceURI] property and a [castMap] getter for type casting.
+///
+/// The [decode] method is used to populate the object's properties from a [KeyedArchive].
+/// It must be called by subclasses, hence the @mustCallSuper annotation.
+///
+/// The [encode] method is abstract and must be implemented by subclasses to define
+/// how the object should be encoded into a [KeyedArchive].
+abstract class Coding {
+  /// The URI reference for this coding object.
+  ///
+  /// This property holds a [Uri] that can be used as a reference or identifier
+  /// for the coded object. It may represent the location or source of the data,
+  /// or serve as a unique identifier within a larger system.
+  ///
+  /// The [referenceURI] is typically set during decoding and can be accessed
+  /// or modified as needed. It may be null if no reference is available or required.
+  Uri? referenceURI;
+
+  /// A map of property names to their corresponding cast functions.
+  ///
+  /// This getter returns a [Map] where the keys are strings representing
+  /// property names, and the values are [cast.Cast] functions for those properties.
+  /// The cast functions are used to convert decoded values to their appropriate types.
+  ///
+  /// By default, this getter returns `null`, indicating that no custom casting
+  /// is required. Subclasses can override this getter to provide specific
+  /// casting behavior for their properties.
+  ///
+  /// Returns `null` if no custom casting is needed, or a [Map] of property
+  /// names to cast functions if custom casting is required.
+  Map<String, cast.Cast<dynamic>>? get castMap => null;
+
+  /// Decodes the object from a [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This method is responsible for populating the object's properties from the
+  /// provided [KeyedArchive]. It performs two main actions:
+  ///
+  /// 1. Sets the [referenceURI] of this object to the [referenceURI] of the
+  ///    provided [KeyedArchive].
+  /// 2. Applies any necessary type casting to the values in the [KeyedArchive]
+  ///    using the [castMap] defined for this object.
+  ///
+  /// This method is marked with [@mustCallSuper], indicating that subclasses
+  /// overriding this method must call the superclass implementation.
+  ///
+  /// [object] The [KeyedArchive] containing the encoded data to be decoded.
+  @mustCallSuper
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    referenceURI = object.referenceURI;
+    object.castValues(castMap);
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes the object into a [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This abstract method must be implemented by subclasses to define
+  /// how the object should be encoded into a [KeyedArchive]. The implementation
+  /// should write all relevant properties of the object to the provided [object].
+  ///
+  /// [object] The [KeyedArchive] to which the object's data should be encoded.
+  ///
+  /// Note that the [referenceURI] of the object is not automatically written
+  /// to the [KeyedArchive]. See note in [KeyedArchive._encodedObject].
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object);
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/collection_cast.dart

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+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:core' as core;
+import 'dart:core' hide Map, String, int;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart';
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.Map<K, V>].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.Map<K, V>>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.Map<K, V>].
+///
+/// The class uses two separate [Cast] instances:
+/// - [_key] for casting the keys of the input map to type K
+/// - [_value] for casting the values of the input map to type V
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.Map].
+/// If it is, it creates a new map, casting each key-value pair using the
+/// respective [_key] and [_value] casts. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final mapCast = Map(StringCast(), IntCast());
+/// final result = mapCast.cast({"a": 1, "b": 2}); // Returns Map<String, int>
+/// mapCast.cast("not a map"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class Map<K, V> extends Cast<core.Map<K, V>> {
+  final Cast<K> _key;
+  final Cast<V> _value;
+  const Map(Cast<K> key, Cast<V> value)
+      : _key = key,
+        _value = value;
+  @override
+  core.Map<K, V> safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    if (from is core.Map) {
+      final result = <K, V>{};
+      for (final key in from.keys) {
+        final newKey = _key.safeCast(key, "map entry", key);
+        result[newKey] = _value.safeCast(from[key], "map entry", key);
+      }
+      return result;
+    }
+    return throw FailedCast(context, key, "not a map");
+  }
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.Map<core.String, V>].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.Map<core.String, V>>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.Map<core.String, V>].
+///
+/// The class uses a [Cast<V>] instance [_value] for casting the values of the input map to type V.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.Map].
+/// If it is, it creates a new map with [core.String] keys and values of type V,
+/// casting each value using the [_value] cast. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final stringMapCast = StringMap(IntCast());
+/// final result = stringMapCast.cast({"a": 1, "b": 2}); // Returns Map<String, int>
+/// stringMapCast.cast("not a map"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class StringMap<V> extends Cast<core.Map<core.String, V>> {
+  final Cast<V> _value;
+  const StringMap(Cast<V> value) : _value = value;
+  @override
+  core.Map<core.String, V> safeCast(
+    dynamic from,
+    core.String context,
+    dynamic key,
+  ) {
+    if (from is core.Map) {
+      final result = <core.String, V>{};
+      for (final core.String key in from.keys as core.Iterable<core.String>) {
+        result[key] = _value.safeCast(from[key], "map entry", key);
+      }
+      return result;
+    }
+    return throw FailedCast(context, key, "not a map");
+  }
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.List<E?>].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.List<E?>>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.List<E?>].
+///
+/// The class uses a [Cast<E>] instance [_entry] for casting each element of the input list to type E.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.List].
+/// If it is, it creates a new list of nullable E elements, casting each non-null
+/// element using the [_entry] cast and preserving null values. If not, it throws
+/// a [FailedCast] exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final listCast = List(IntCast());
+/// final result = listCast.cast([1, 2, null, 3]); // Returns List<int?>
+/// listCast.cast("not a list"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class List<E> extends Cast<core.List<E?>> {
+  final Cast<E> _entry;
+  const List(Cast<E> entry) : _entry = entry;
+  @override
+  core.List<E?> safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    if (from is core.List) {
+      final length = from.length;
+      final result = core.List<E?>.filled(length, null);
+      for (core.int i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
+        if (from[i] != null) {
+          result[i] = _entry.safeCast(from[i], "list entry", i);
+        } else {
+          result[i] = null;
+        }
+      }
+      return result;
+    }
+    return throw FailedCast(context, key, "not a list");
+  }
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/constants.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart';
+
+/// A constant instance of [AnyCast] that can be used for casting any dynamic value.
+///
+/// This constant provides a convenient way to use the [AnyCast] functionality
+/// without needing to create a new instance each time. It can be used in situations
+/// where type-checking is not required, and you want to allow any type to pass through.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final result = any.cast(someValue); // Returns someValue unchanged, regardless of its type
+/// ```
+const any = AnyCast();
+
+/// A constant instance of [BoolCast] that can be used for casting dynamic values to [core.bool].
+///
+/// This constant provides a convenient way to use the [BoolCast] functionality
+/// without needing to create a new instance each time. It can be used to perform
+/// boolean type checking and casting operations.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final result = bool.cast(true); // Returns true
+/// bool.cast("not a bool"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+const bool = BoolCast();
+
+/// A constant instance of [IntCast] that can be used for casting dynamic values to [core.int].
+///
+/// This constant provides a convenient way to use the [IntCast] functionality
+/// without needing to create a new instance each time. It can be used to perform
+/// integer type checking and casting operations.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final result = int.cast(42); // Returns 42
+/// int.cast("not an int"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+const int = IntCast();
+
+/// A constant instance of [DoubleCast] that can be used for casting dynamic values to [core.double].
+///
+/// This constant provides a convenient way to use the [DoubleCast] functionality
+/// without needing to create a new instance each time. It can be used to perform
+/// double type checking and casting operations.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final result = double.cast(3.14); // Returns 3.14
+/// double.cast("not a double"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+const double = DoubleCast();
+
+/// A constant instance of [StringCast] that can be used for casting dynamic values to [core.String].
+///
+/// This constant provides a convenient way to use the [StringCast] functionality
+/// without needing to create a new instance each time. It can be used to perform
+/// string type checking and casting operations.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final result = string.cast("Hello"); // Returns "Hello"
+/// string.cast(42); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+const string = StringCast();

packages/typeforge/lib/src/keyed_archive.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,580 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:collection';
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart' as cast;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+
+/// A container for a dynamic data object that can be decoded into [Coding] objects.
+///
+/// A [KeyedArchive] is a [Map], but it provides additional behavior for decoding [Coding] objects
+/// and managing JSON Schema references ($ref) through methods like [decode], [decodeObject], etc.
+///
+/// You create a [KeyedArchive] by invoking [KeyedArchive.unarchive] and passing data decoded from a
+/// serialization format like JSON and YAML. A [KeyedArchive] is then provided as an argument to
+/// a [Coding] subclass' [Coding.decode] method.
+///
+///         final json = json.decode(...);
+///         final archive = KeyedArchive.unarchive(json);
+///         final person = Person()..decode(archive);
+///
+/// You may also create [KeyedArchive]s from [Coding] objects so that they can be serialized.
+///
+///         final person = Person()..name = "Bob";
+///         final archive = KeyedArchive.archive(person);
+///         final json = json.encode(archive);
+///
+/// This class extends [Object] and mixes in [MapBase<String, dynamic>], allowing it to be used as a Map.
+/// It also implements [Referenceable], providing functionality for handling references within the archive.
+///
+/// The constructor is not typically used directly; instead, use the [KeyedArchive.unarchive]
+/// or [KeyedArchive.archive] methods to create instances of [KeyedArchive].
+class KeyedArchive extends Object
+    with MapBase<String, dynamic>
+    implements Referenceable {
+  /// Use [unarchive] instead.
+  KeyedArchive(this._map) {
+    _recode();
+  }
+
+  /// Unarchives [data] into a [KeyedArchive] that can be used by [Coding.decode] to deserialize objects.
+  ///
+  /// Each [Map] in [data] (including [data] itself) is converted to a [KeyedArchive].
+  /// Each [List] in [data] is converted to a [ListArchive]. These conversions occur for deeply nested maps
+  /// and lists.
+  ///
+  /// If [allowReferences] is true, JSON Schema references will be traversed and decoded objects
+  /// will contain values from the referenced object. This flag defaults to false.
+  KeyedArchive.unarchive(this._map, {bool allowReferences = false}) {
+    _recode();
+    if (allowReferences) {
+      resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver(this));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Archives a [Coding] object into a [Map] that can be serialized into formats like JSON or YAML.
+  ///
+  /// Note that the return value of this method, as well as all other [Map] and [List] objects
+  /// embedded in the return value, are instances of [KeyedArchive] and [ListArchive]. These types
+  /// implement [Map] and [List], respectively.
+  ///
+  /// If [allowReferences] is true, JSON Schema references in the emitted document will be validated.
+  /// Defaults to false.
+  static Map<String, dynamic> archive(
+    Coding root, {
+    bool allowReferences = false,
+  }) {
+    final archive = KeyedArchive({});
+    root.encode(archive);
+    if (allowReferences) {
+      archive.resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver(archive));
+    }
+    return archive.toPrimitive();
+  }
+
+  /// Private constructor that creates an empty [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This constructor initializes the internal [_map] with an empty Map<String, dynamic>.
+  /// It's intended for internal use within the [KeyedArchive] class.
+  KeyedArchive._empty() : _map = <String, dynamic>{};
+
+  /// A reference to another object in the same document.
+  ///
+  /// This property represents a URI reference to another object within the same document.
+  /// It is used to establish relationships between objects in a hierarchical structure.
+  ///
+  /// Assign values to this property using the default [Uri] constructor and its path argument.
+  /// This property is serialized as a [Uri] fragment, e.g. `#/components/all`.
+  ///
+  /// Example:
+  ///
+  ///         final object = new MyObject()
+  ///           ..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/other/object");
+  ///         archive.encodeObject("object", object);
+  ///
+  Uri? referenceURI;
+
+  /// The internal map that stores the key-value pairs of this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This map is used to store the actual data of the archive. It is of type
+  /// `Map<String, dynamic>` to allow for flexibility in the types of values
+  /// that can be stored. The keys are always strings, representing the names
+  /// of the properties, while the values can be of any type.
+  ///
+  /// This map is manipulated by various methods of the [KeyedArchive] class,
+  /// such as the [] operator, decode methods, and encode methods. It's also
+  /// used when converting the archive to primitive types or when resolving
+  /// references.
+  Map<String, dynamic> _map;
+
+  /// Stores the inflated (decoded) object associated with this archive.
+  ///
+  /// This property is used to cache the decoded object after it has been
+  /// inflated from the archive data. It allows for efficient retrieval
+  /// of the decoded object in subsequent accesses, avoiding repeated
+  /// decoding operations.
+  ///
+  /// The type is [Coding?] to accommodate both null values (when no object
+  /// has been inflated yet) and any object that implements the [Coding] interface.
+  Coding? _inflated;
+
+  /// A reference to another [KeyedArchive] object.
+  ///
+  /// This property is used to handle JSON Schema references ($ref).
+  /// When a reference is resolved, this property holds the referenced [KeyedArchive] object.
+  /// It allows the current archive to access values from the referenced object
+  /// when a key is not found in the current archive's map.
+  KeyedArchive? _objectReference;
+
+  /// Typecast the values in this archive.
+  ///
+  /// Prefer to override [Coding.castMap] instead of using this method directly.
+  ///
+  /// This method will recursively type values in this archive to the desired type
+  /// for a given key. Use this method (or [Coding.castMap]) for decoding `List` and `Map`
+  /// types, where the values are not `Coding` objects.
+  ///
+  /// You must `import 'package:codable/cast.dart' as cast;`.
+  ///
+  /// Usage:
+  ///
+  ///         final dynamicObject = {
+  ///           "key": <dynamic>["foo", "bar"]
+  ///         };
+  ///         final archive = KeyedArchive.unarchive(dynamicObject);
+  ///         archive.castValues({
+  ///           "key": cast.List(cast.String)
+  ///         });
+  ///
+  ///         // This now becomes a valid assignment
+  ///         List<String> key = archive.decode("key");
+  ///
+  /// This method takes a [schema] parameter of type `Map<String, cast.Cast>?`, which defines
+  /// the types to cast for each key in the archive. If [schema] is null, the method returns
+  /// without performing any casting. The method uses a flag [_casted] to ensure it only
+  /// performs the casting once. It creates a [cast.Keyed] object with the provided schema
+  /// and uses it to cast the values in both the main [_map] and the [_objectReference] map
+  /// (if it exists). This ensures type safety and consistency across the entire archive structure.
+  void castValues(Map<String, cast.Cast>? schema) {
+    if (schema == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (_casted) return;
+    _casted = true;
+    final caster = cast.Keyed(schema);
+    _map = caster.cast(_map);
+
+    if (_objectReference != null) {
+      _objectReference!._map = caster.cast(_objectReference!._map);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// A flag indicating whether the values in this archive have been cast.
+  ///
+  /// This boolean is used to ensure that the [castValues] method is only
+  /// called once on this archive. It is set to true after the first call
+  /// to [castValues], preventing redundant type casting operations.
+  bool _casted = false;
+
+  /// Sets the value associated with the given [key] in this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This operator allows you to assign values to keys in the archive as if it were a regular map.
+  /// The [key] must be a [String], and [value] can be of any type.
+  ///
+  /// Example:
+  ///   archive['name'] = 'John Doe';
+  ///   archive['age'] = 30;
+  ///
+  /// Note that this method directly modifies the internal [_map] of the archive.
+  /// It does not perform any type checking or conversion on the [value].
+  @override
+  void operator []=(covariant String key, dynamic value) {
+    _map[key] = value;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves the value associated with the given [key] from this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This operator allows you to access values in the archive as if it were a regular map.
+  /// The [key] must be a [String].
+  ///
+  /// If the key is found in the current archive's map, its value is returned.
+  /// If not found and this archive has an [_objectReference], it attempts to retrieve
+  /// the value from the referenced object.
+  ///
+  /// Example:
+  ///   var name = archive['name'];
+  ///   var age = archive['age'];
+  ///
+  /// Returns the value associated with [key], or null if the key is not found.
+  @override
+  dynamic operator [](covariant Object key) => _getValue(key as String);
+
+  /// Returns an [Iterable] of all the keys in the archive.
+  ///
+  /// This getter provides access to all the keys stored in the internal [_map]
+  /// of the [KeyedArchive]. It allows iteration over all keys without exposing
+  /// the underlying map structure.
+  ///
+  /// Returns: An [Iterable<String>] containing all the keys in the archive.
+  @override
+  Iterable<String> get keys => _map.keys;
+
+  /// Removes all entries from this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// After this call, the archive will be empty.
+  /// This method directly calls the [clear] method on the internal [_map].
+  @override
+  void clear() => _map.clear();
+
+  /// Removes the entry for the given [key] from this [KeyedArchive] and returns its value.
+  ///
+  /// This method removes the key-value pair associated with [key] from the internal map
+  /// of this [KeyedArchive]. If [key] was in the archive, its associated value is returned.
+  /// If [key] was not in the archive, null is returned.
+  ///
+  /// The [key] should be a [String], as this is a [KeyedArchive]. However, the method
+  /// accepts [Object?] to comply with the [MapBase] interface it implements.
+  ///
+  /// Returns the value associated with [key] before it was removed, or null if [key]
+  /// was not in the archive.
+  @override
+  dynamic remove(Object? key) => _map.remove(key);
+
+  /// Converts this [KeyedArchive] to a primitive [Map<String, dynamic>].
+  ///
+  /// This method recursively converts the contents of the archive to primitive types:
+  /// - [KeyedArchive] instances are converted to [Map<String, dynamic>]
+  /// - [ListArchive] instances are converted to [List<dynamic>]
+  /// - Other values are left as-is
+  ///
+  /// This is useful when you need to serialize the archive to a format like JSON
+  /// that doesn't support custom object types.
+  ///
+  /// Returns a new [Map<String, dynamic>] containing the primitive representation
+  /// of this archive.
+  Map<String, dynamic> toPrimitive() {
+    final out = <String, dynamic>{};
+    _map.forEach((key, val) {
+      if (val is KeyedArchive) {
+        out[key] = val.toPrimitive();
+      } else if (val is ListArchive) {
+        out[key] = val.toPrimitive();
+      } else {
+        out[key] = val;
+      }
+    });
+    return out;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves the value associated with the given [key] from this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This method first checks if the key exists in the current archive's internal map.
+  /// If found, it returns the associated value.
+  /// If the key is not found in the current archive, and this archive has an [_objectReference],
+  /// it attempts to retrieve the value from the referenced object recursively.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [key] - The string key to look up in the archive.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The value associated with the [key] if found, or null if the key is not present
+  ///   in either the current archive or any referenced archives.
+  dynamic _getValue(String key) {
+    if (_map.containsKey(key)) {
+      return _map[key];
+    }
+
+    return _objectReference?._getValue(key);
+  }
+
+  /// Recodes the internal map of this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This method performs the following operations:
+  /// 1. Creates a [cast.Map] caster for string keys and any values.
+  /// 2. Iterates through all keys in the internal map.
+  /// 3. For each key-value pair:
+  ///    - If the value is a [Map], it's converted to a [KeyedArchive].
+  ///    - If the value is a [List], it's converted to a [ListArchive].
+  ///    - If the key is "$ref", it sets the [referenceURI] by parsing the value.
+  ///
+  /// This method is called during initialization to ensure proper structure
+  /// and typing of the archive's contents.
+  void _recode() {
+    const caster = cast.Map(cast.string, cast.any);
+    final keys = _map.keys.toList();
+    for (final key in keys) {
+      final val = _map[key];
+      if (val is Map) {
+        _map[key] = KeyedArchive(caster.cast(val));
+      } else if (val is List) {
+        _map[key] = ListArchive.from(val);
+      } else if (key == r"$ref") {
+        referenceURI = Uri.parse(Uri.parse(val.toString()).fragment);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Validates and resolves references within this [KeyedArchive] and its nested objects.
+  ///
+  /// This method is automatically invoked by both [KeyedArchive.unarchive] and [KeyedArchive.archive].
+  @override
+  void resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver coder) {
+    if (referenceURI != null) {
+      _objectReference = coder.resolve(referenceURI!);
+      if (_objectReference == null) {
+        throw ArgumentError(
+          "Invalid document. Reference '#${referenceURI!.path}' does not exist in document.",
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    _map.forEach((key, val) {
+      if (val is KeyedArchive) {
+        val.resolveOrThrow(coder);
+      } else if (val is ListArchive) {
+        val.resolveOrThrow(coder);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  /// Decodes a [KeyedArchive] into an object of type [T] that extends [Coding].
+  ///
+  /// This method is responsible for inflating (decoding) an object from its archived form.
+  /// If the [raw] archive is null, the method returns null.
+  ///
+  /// If the archive has not been inflated before (i.e., [_inflated] is null),
+  /// it creates a new instance using the [inflate] function, decodes the archive
+  /// into this new instance, and caches it in [_inflated] for future use.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [raw]: The [KeyedArchive] containing the encoded object data.
+  ///   [inflate]: A function that returns a new instance of [T].
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The decoded object of type [T], or null if [raw] is null.
+  T? _decodedObject<T extends Coding?>(
+    KeyedArchive? raw,
+    T Function() inflate,
+  ) {
+    if (raw == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (raw._inflated == null) {
+      raw._inflated = inflate();
+      raw._inflated!.decode(raw);
+    }
+
+    return raw._inflated as T?;
+  }
+
+  /// Returns the object associated with [key] in this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// If [T] is inferred to be a [Uri] or [DateTime],
+  /// the associated object is assumed to be a [String] and an appropriate value is parsed
+  /// from that string.
+  ///
+  /// If this object is a reference to another object (via [referenceURI]), this object's key-value
+  /// pairs will be searched first. If [key] is not found, the referenced object's key-values pairs are searched.
+  /// If no match is found, null is returned.
+  T? decode<T>(String key) {
+    final v = _getValue(key);
+    if (v == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (T == Uri) {
+      return Uri.parse(v.toString()) as T;
+    } else if (T == DateTime) {
+      return DateTime.parse(v.toString()) as T;
+    }
+
+    return v as T?;
+  }
+
+  /// Decodes and returns an instance of [T] associated with the given [key] in this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// [inflate] must create an empty instance of [T]. The value associated with [key]
+  /// must be a [KeyedArchive] (a [Map]). The values of the associated object are read into
+  /// the empty instance of [T].
+  T? decodeObject<T extends Coding>(String key, T Function() inflate) {
+    final val = _getValue(key);
+    if (val == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (val is! KeyedArchive) {
+      throw ArgumentError(
+        "Cannot decode key '$key' into '$T', because the value is not a Map. Actual value: '$val'.",
+      );
+    }
+
+    return _decodedObject(val, inflate);
+  }
+
+  /// Decodes and returns a list of objects of type [T] associated with the given [key] in this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// [inflate] must create an empty instance of [T]. The value associated with [key]
+  /// must be a [ListArchive] (a [List] of [Map]). For each element of the archived list,
+  /// [inflate] is invoked and each object in the archived list is decoded into
+  /// the instance of [T].
+  List<T?>? decodeObjects<T extends Coding>(String key, T? Function() inflate) {
+    final val = _getValue(key);
+    if (val == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    if (val is! List) {
+      throw ArgumentError(
+        "Cannot decode key '$key' as 'List<$T>', because value is not a List. Actual value: '$val'.",
+      );
+    }
+
+    return val
+        .map((v) => _decodedObject(v as KeyedArchive?, inflate))
+        .toList()
+        .cast<T?>();
+  }
+
+  /// Decodes and returns a map of objects of type [T] associated with the given [key] in this [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// [inflate] must create an empty instance of [T]. The value associated with [key]
+  /// must be a [KeyedArchive] (a [Map]), where each value is a [T].
+  /// For each key-value pair of the archived map, [inflate] is invoked and
+  /// each value is decoded into the instance of [T].
+  Map<String, T?>? decodeObjectMap<T extends Coding>(
+    String key,
+    T Function() inflate,
+  ) {
+    final v = _getValue(key);
+    if (v == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (v is! Map<String, dynamic>) {
+      throw ArgumentError(
+        "Cannot decode key '$key' as 'Map<String, $T>', because value is not a Map. Actual value: '$v'.",
+      );
+    }
+
+    return {
+      for (var k in v.keys) k: _decodedObject(v[k] as KeyedArchive?, inflate)
+    };
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes a [Coding] object into a [Map<String, dynamic>] representation.
+  ///
+  /// This method creates a [KeyedArchive] from the given [object] and returns its
+  /// internal map representation. If the [object] has a [referenceURI], it is
+  /// encoded as a '$ref' key in the resulting map.
+  ///
+  /// If [object] is null, this method returns null.
+  ///
+  /// Note: There is a known limitation where overridden values from a reference
+  /// object are not currently being emitted. This is due to the complexity of
+  /// handling cyclic references between objects.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [object]: The [Coding] object to be encoded.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   A [Map<String, dynamic>] representation of the [object], or null if [object] is null.
+  Map<String, dynamic>? _encodedObject(Coding? object) {
+    if (object == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    final json = KeyedArchive._empty()
+      .._map = {}
+      ..referenceURI = object.referenceURI;
+    if (json.referenceURI != null) {
+      json._map[r"$ref"] = Uri(fragment: json.referenceURI!.path).toString();
+    } else {
+      object.encode(json);
+    }
+    return json;
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes [value] into this object for [key].
+  ///
+  /// This method adds a key-value pair to the internal map of the [KeyedArchive].
+  /// The [key] is always a [String], while [value] can be of any type.
+  ///
+  /// If [value] is null, no value is encoded and the [key] will not be present
+  /// in the resulting archive.
+  void encode(String key, dynamic value) {
+    if (value == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (value is DateTime) {
+      _map[key] = value.toIso8601String();
+    } else if (value is Uri) {
+      _map[key] = value.toString();
+    } else {
+      _map[key] = value;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes a [Coding] object into this object for [key].
+  ///
+  /// This method takes a [Coding] object [value] and encodes it into the archive
+  /// under the specified [key]. If [value] is null, no action is taken and the method returns early.
+  ///
+  /// The encoding process involves:
+  /// 1. Checking if the [value] is null.
+  /// 2. If not null, it uses the private [_encodedObject] method to convert the [Coding] object
+  ///    into a format suitable for storage in the archive.
+  /// 3. The encoded object is then stored in the archive's internal map ([_map]) using the provided [key].
+  ///
+  /// This method is useful for adding complex objects that implement the [Coding] interface
+  /// to the archive, allowing for structured data storage and later retrieval.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [key]: A [String] that serves as the identifier for the encoded object in the archive.
+  ///   [value]: A [Coding] object to be encoded and stored. Can be null.
+  ///
+  /// Example:
+  ///   ```dart
+  ///   final person = Person(name: "John", age: 30);
+  ///   archive.encodeObject("person", person);
+  ///   ```
+  void encodeObject(String key, Coding? value) {
+    if (value == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    _map[key] = _encodedObject(value);
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes a list of [Coding] objects into this archive for the given [key].
+  ///
+  /// This invokes [Coding.encode] on each object in [value] and adds the list of objects
+  /// to this archive for the key [key].
+  void encodeObjects(String key, List<Coding?>? value) {
+    if (value == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    _map[key] = ListArchive.from(value.map((v) => _encodedObject(v)).toList());
+  }
+
+  /// Encodes a map of [Coding] objects into this archive for the given [key].
+  ///
+  /// This invokes [Coding.encode] on each value in [value] and adds the map of objects
+  /// to this archive for the key [key].
+  void encodeObjectMap<T extends Coding>(String key, Map<String, T?>? value) {
+    if (value == null) return;
+    final object = KeyedArchive({});
+    value.forEach((k, v) {
+      object[k] = _encodedObject(v);
+    });
+
+    _map[key] = object;
+  }
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/list_archive.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,233 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:collection';
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+
+/// A list of values in a [KeyedArchive].
+///
+/// This object is a [List] that has additional behavior for encoding and decoding [Coding] objects.
+/// It provides functionality to store and manipulate a list of dynamic values, with special handling
+/// for nested maps and lists. The class implements [Referenceable], allowing it to resolve references
+/// within its contents when used in conjunction with a [ReferenceResolver].
+///
+/// The [ListArchive] can be created empty or initialized from an existing list. When initialized
+/// from a list, it automatically converts nested maps and lists to [KeyedArchive] and [ListArchive]
+/// instances respectively, providing a consistent interface for complex nested structures.
+///
+/// This class is particularly useful when working with serializable data structures that may
+/// contain nested objects or arrays, as it preserves the structure while allowing for easy
+/// manipulation and serialization.
+class ListArchive extends Object
+    with ListBase<dynamic>
+    implements Referenceable {
+  /// The internal list that stores the dynamic values of this [ListArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This list can contain various types of elements, including primitive types,
+  /// [KeyedArchive] instances (for nested maps), and other [ListArchive] instances
+  /// (for nested lists). It is used to maintain the structure and order of the
+  /// archived data while providing the necessary functionality for the [ListArchive].
+  final List<dynamic> _inner;
+
+  /// Creates an empty [ListArchive].
+  ///
+  /// This constructor initializes a new [ListArchive] instance with an empty internal list.
+  /// The resulting [ListArchive] is ready to accept new elements through its various
+  /// list manipulation methods inherited from [ListBase].
+  ListArchive() : _inner = [];
+
+  /// Creates a [ListArchive] from an existing [List] of dynamic values.
+  ///
+  /// This constructor takes a [List] of dynamic values as input and initializes
+  /// a new [ListArchive] instance. It processes each element of the input list,
+  /// converting any nested [Map] to [KeyedArchive] and nested [List] to [ListArchive].
+  /// This conversion is done using the [_toAtchiveType] function.
+  ///
+  /// The resulting [ListArchive] maintains the structure of the original list
+  /// but with enhanced functionality for handling nested data structures.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [raw]: The input [List] of dynamic values to be converted into a [ListArchive].
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   A new [ListArchive] instance containing the processed elements from the input list.
+  ListArchive.from(List<dynamic> raw)
+      : _inner = raw.map(_toAtchiveType).toList();
+
+  /// Returns the element at the specified [index] in the list.
+  ///
+  /// This operator overrides the default list indexing behavior to access
+  /// elements in the internal [_inner] list.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [index]: An integer index of the element to retrieve.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   The element at the specified [index] in the list.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [RangeError] if the [index] is out of bounds.
+  @override
+  dynamic operator [](int index) => _inner[index];
+
+  /// Returns the length of the internal list.
+  ///
+  /// This getter overrides the [length] property from [ListBase] to provide
+  /// the correct length of the internal [_inner] list.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   An integer representing the number of elements in the [ListArchive].
+  @override
+  int get length => _inner.length;
+
+  /// Sets the length of the internal list.
+  ///
+  /// This setter overrides the [length] property from [ListBase] to allow
+  /// modification of the internal [_inner] list's length. Setting the length
+  /// can be used to truncate the list or extend it with null values.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [length]: The new length to set for the list.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [RangeError] if [length] is negative.
+  ///   [UnsupportedError] if the list is fixed-length.
+  @override
+  set length(int length) {
+    _inner.length = length;
+  }
+
+  /// Sets the value at the specified [index] in the list.
+  ///
+  /// This operator overrides the default list indexing assignment behavior to
+  /// modify elements in the internal [_inner] list.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [index]: An integer index of the element to set.
+  ///   [val]: The new value to be assigned at the specified [index].
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   [RangeError] if the [index] is out of bounds.
+  ///   [UnsupportedError] if the list is fixed-length.
+  @override
+  void operator []=(int index, dynamic val) {
+    _inner[index] = val;
+  }
+
+  /// Adds a single element to the end of this list.
+  ///
+  /// This method overrides the [add] method from [ListBase] to add an element
+  /// to the internal [_inner] list.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [element]: The element to be added to the list. Can be of any type.
+  ///
+  /// The list grows by one element.
+  @override
+  void add(dynamic element) {
+    _inner.add(element);
+  }
+
+  /// Adds all elements of the given [iterable] to the end of this list.
+  ///
+  /// This method overrides the [addAll] method from [ListBase] to add multiple
+  /// elements to the internal [_inner] list.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [iterable]: An [Iterable] of elements to be added to the list. The elements
+  ///               can be of any type.
+  ///
+  /// The list grows by the length of the [iterable].
+  @override
+  void addAll(Iterable<dynamic> iterable) {
+    _inner.addAll(iterable);
+  }
+
+  /// Converts the [ListArchive] to a list of primitive values.
+  ///
+  /// This method traverses the [ListArchive] and converts its contents to a list
+  /// of primitive values. It recursively processes nested [KeyedArchive] and
+  /// [ListArchive] instances, ensuring that the entire structure is converted
+  /// to basic Dart types.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   A [List<dynamic>] containing the primitive representation of the [ListArchive].
+  ///   - [KeyedArchive] instances are converted to [Map]s.
+  ///   - [ListArchive] instances are converted to [List]s.
+  ///   - Other values are left as-is.
+  ///
+  /// This method is useful for serialization purposes or when you need to
+  /// convert the [ListArchive] to a format that can be easily serialized
+  /// or transmitted.
+  List<dynamic> toPrimitive() {
+    final out = [];
+    for (final val in _inner) {
+      if (val is KeyedArchive) {
+        out.add(val.toPrimitive());
+      } else if (val is ListArchive) {
+        out.add(val.toPrimitive());
+      } else {
+        out.add(val);
+      }
+    }
+    return out;
+  }
+
+  /// Resolves references within this [ListArchive] using the provided [ReferenceResolver].
+  ///
+  /// This method iterates through all elements in the internal list ([_inner]) and
+  /// resolves references for nested [KeyedArchive] and [ListArchive] instances.
+  /// It's part of the [Referenceable] interface implementation, allowing for
+  /// deep resolution of references in complex nested structures.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [coder]: A [ReferenceResolver] used to resolve references within the archive.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   May throw exceptions if reference resolution fails, as implied by the method name.
+  ///
+  /// This method is typically called during the decoding process to ensure all
+  /// references within the archive structure are properly resolved.
+  @override
+  void resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver coder) {
+    for (final i in _inner) {
+      if (i is KeyedArchive) {
+        i.resolveOrThrow(coder);
+      } else if (i is ListArchive) {
+        i.resolveOrThrow(coder);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/// Converts a dynamic value to an archive type if necessary.
+///
+/// This function takes a dynamic value and converts it to an appropriate archive type:
+/// - If the input is a [Map<String, dynamic>], it's converted to a [KeyedArchive].
+/// - If the input is a [List], it's converted to a [ListArchive].
+/// - For all other types, the input is returned as-is.
+///
+/// This function is used internally by [ListArchive] to ensure that nested structures
+/// (maps and lists) are properly converted to their respective archive types when
+/// creating a new [ListArchive] instance.
+///
+/// Parameters:
+///   [e]: The dynamic value to be converted.
+///
+/// Returns:
+///   The input value converted to an appropriate archive type, or the original value
+///   if no conversion is necessary.
+dynamic _toAtchiveType(dynamic e) {
+  if (e is Map<String, dynamic>) {
+    return KeyedArchive(e);
+  } else if (e is List) {
+    return ListArchive.from(e);
+  }
+  return e;
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/primitive_cast.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:core' as core;
+import 'dart:core' hide Map, String, int;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart';
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.int].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.int>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.int].
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.int].
+/// If it is, it returns the value unchanged. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final intCast = IntCast();
+/// final result = intCast.cast(42); // Returns 42
+/// intCast.cast("not an int"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class IntCast extends Cast<core.int> {
+  const IntCast();
+  @override
+  core.int safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) =>
+      from is core.int
+          ? from
+          : throw FailedCast(context, key, "$from is not an int");
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.double].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.double>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.double].
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.double].
+/// If it is, it returns the value unchanged. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final doubleCast = DoubleCast();
+/// final result = doubleCast.cast(3.14); // Returns 3.14
+/// doubleCast.cast("not a double"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class DoubleCast extends Cast<core.double> {
+  const DoubleCast();
+  @override
+  core.double safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) =>
+      from is core.double
+          ? from
+          : throw FailedCast(context, key, "$from is not an double");
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.String].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.String>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.String].
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.String].
+/// If it is, it returns the value unchanged. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final stringCast = StringCast();
+/// final result = stringCast.cast("Hello"); // Returns "Hello"
+/// stringCast.cast(42); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class StringCast extends Cast<core.String> {
+  const StringCast();
+  @override
+  core.String safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) =>
+      from is core.String
+          ? from
+          : throw FailedCast(context, key, "$from is not a String");
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.bool].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.bool>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.bool].
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already a [core.bool].
+/// If it is, it returns the value unchanged. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final boolCast = BoolCast();
+/// final result = boolCast.cast(true); // Returns true
+/// boolCast.cast("not a bool"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class BoolCast extends Cast<core.bool> {
+  const BoolCast();
+  @override
+  core.bool safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) =>
+      from is core.bool
+          ? from
+          : throw FailedCast(context, key, "$from is not a bool");
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/reference_resolver.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+
+/// A class for resolving references within a document structure.
+///
+/// This class provides functionality to resolve references within a document
+/// represented by a [KeyedArchive]. It allows for navigation through the
+/// document structure using URI-style references.
+///
+/// The [ReferenceResolver] is particularly useful in scenarios where you need
+/// to traverse complex, nested document structures and resolve references
+/// to specific parts of the document.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final document = KeyedArchive(...);  // Your document structure
+/// final resolver = ReferenceResolver(document);
+/// final resolved = resolver.resolve(Uri.parse('#/definitions/child'));
+/// ```
+///
+/// The [resolve] method is the primary way to use this class. It takes a [Uri]
+/// reference and returns the corresponding [KeyedArchive] from the document,
+/// or null if the reference cannot be resolved.
+class ReferenceResolver {
+  /// Creates a new [ReferenceResolver] instance.
+  ///
+  /// The [ReferenceResolver] is used to resolve references within a document
+  /// structure represented by a [KeyedArchive].
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [document] - The document to resolve references within. This
+  ///   [KeyedArchive] represents the entire document structure that will be
+  ///   used to resolve references.
+  ReferenceResolver(this.document);
+
+  /// The document to resolve references within.
+  ///
+  /// This [KeyedArchive] represents the entire document structure
+  /// that will be used to resolve references.
+  final KeyedArchive document;
+
+  /// Resolves a reference URI to a [KeyedArchive] within the document.
+  ///
+  /// This method takes a [Uri] [ref] and traverses the document structure
+  /// to find the corresponding [KeyedArchive]. It uses the path segments
+  /// of the URI to navigate through the nested structure of the document.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [ref] - A [Uri] representing the reference to resolve.
+  ///
+  /// Returns:
+  ///   A [KeyedArchive] corresponding to the resolved reference, or null
+  ///   if the reference cannot be resolved within the document structure.
+  ///
+  /// Example:
+  ///   If [ref] is '#/definitions/child', this method will attempt to
+  ///   navigate to document['definitions']['child'] and return the
+  ///   corresponding [KeyedArchive].
+  KeyedArchive? resolve(Uri ref) {
+    final folded = ref.pathSegments.fold<KeyedArchive?>(document,
+        (KeyedArchive? objectPtr, pathSegment) {
+      if (objectPtr != null) {
+        return objectPtr[pathSegment] as KeyedArchive?;
+      } else {
+        return null;
+      }
+    });
+
+    return folded;
+  }
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/referenceable.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+
+/// This abstract class serves as a contract for objects that need to be
+/// resolved based on references. It defines a common interface for resolution
+/// operations, allowing for consistent handling of referenceable objects
+/// throughout the system.
+///
+/// Implementations of this class should ensure that:
+/// - They provide a meaningful implementation of [resolveOrThrow].
+/// - They handle potential errors during resolution and throw appropriate exceptions.
+/// - They interact correctly with the provided [ReferenceResolver].
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// class ConcreteReferenceable implements Referenceable {
+///   @override
+///   void resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver resolver) {
+///     // Implementation of reference resolution
+///   }
+/// }
+abstract class Referenceable {
+  /// Resolves the references within this object using the provided [resolver].
+  ///
+  /// This method is responsible for resolving any references or dependencies
+  /// that this object might have. It should use the [resolver] to look up and
+  /// resolve these references.
+  ///
+  /// If the resolution process encounters any errors or fails to resolve
+  /// necessary references, this method should throw an appropriate exception.
+  ///
+  /// Parameters:
+  ///   [resolver]: The [ReferenceResolver] instance to use for resolving references.
+  ///
+  /// Throws:
+  ///   An exception if the resolution process fails or encounters errors.
+  void resolveOrThrow(ReferenceResolver resolver);
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/special_cast.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:async' as async;
+import 'dart:core' as core;
+import 'dart:core' hide Map, String, int;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart';
+
+/// A cast operation that attempts to cast a dynamic value to either type S or type T.
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<dynamic>] and provides a mechanism to attempt casting
+/// to two different types in sequence. It first tries to cast to type S using the
+/// [_left] cast, and if that fails, it attempts to cast to type T using the [_right] cast.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method first attempts to use the [_left] cast. If it succeeds, the result
+/// is returned. If it fails (by throwing a [FailedCast] exception), the method then
+/// attempts to use the [_right] cast and returns its result.
+///
+/// This class is useful when you have a value that could be one of two different types
+/// and you want to handle both cases.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final oneOfCast = OneOf(IntCast(), StringCast());
+/// final resultInt = oneOfCast.cast(42); // Returns 42 as int
+/// final resultString = oneOfCast.cast("hello"); // Returns "hello" as String
+/// oneOfCast.cast(true); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class OneOf<S, T> extends Cast<dynamic> {
+  final Cast<S> _left;
+  final Cast<T> _right;
+  const OneOf(Cast<S> left, Cast<T> right)
+      : _left = left,
+        _right = right;
+  @override
+  dynamic safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    try {
+      return _left.safeCast(from, context, key);
+    } on FailedCast {
+      return _right.safeCast(from, context, key);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/// A cast operation that applies a transformation function after casting to an intermediate type.
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<T>] and combines two operations:
+/// 1. Casting the input to type S using the [_first] cast operation.
+/// 2. Applying a transformation function [_transform] to convert the result from S to T.
+///
+/// [S] is the intermediate type after the first cast.
+/// [T] is the final type after applying the transformation.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method first uses [_first] to cast the input to type S,
+/// then applies [_transform] to convert the result to type T.
+///
+/// This class is useful when you need to perform a cast followed by a type conversion
+/// or when you want to apply some transformation logic after casting.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final stringLengthCast = Apply<String, int>((s) => s.length, StringCast());
+/// final result = stringLengthCast.cast("hello"); // Returns 5
+/// ```
+class Apply<S, T> extends Cast<T> {
+  final Cast<S> _first;
+  final T Function(S) _transform;
+  const Apply(T Function(S) transform, Cast<S> first)
+      : _transform = transform,
+        _first = first;
+  @override
+  T safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) =>
+      _transform(_first.safeCast(from, context, key));
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [async.Future<E>].
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<async.Future<E>>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [async.Future<E>].
+///
+/// The class uses a [Cast<E>] instance [_value] for casting the value inside the Future to type E.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is already an [async.Future].
+/// If it is, it returns a new Future that applies the [_value] cast to the result of the original Future.
+/// If not, it throws a [FailedCast] exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final futureCast = Future(IntCast());
+/// final result = futureCast.cast(Future.value(42)); // Returns Future<int>
+/// futureCast.cast("not a future"); // Throws FailedCast
+/// ```
+class Future<E> extends Cast<async.Future<E>> {
+  final Cast<E> _value;
+  const Future(Cast<E> value) : _value = value;
+  @override
+  async.Future<E> safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    if (from is async.Future) {
+      return from.then(_value.cast);
+    }
+    return throw FailedCast(context, key, "not a Future");
+  }
+}

packages/typeforge/lib/src/utility_cast.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Protevus Platform.
+ *
+ * (C) Protevus <developers@protevus.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+import 'dart:core' as core;
+import 'dart:core' hide Map, String, int;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart';
+
+/// A cast operation that accepts and returns any dynamic value without modification.
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<dynamic>] and provides a no-op cast operation.
+/// It's useful when you want to allow any type to pass through without
+/// performing any type checking or transformation.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method simply returns the input value as-is, regardless of its type.
+///
+/// Example usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final anyCast = AnyCast();
+/// final result = anyCast.cast(someValue); // Returns someValue unchanged
+/// ```
+class AnyCast extends Cast<dynamic> {
+  const AnyCast();
+  @override
+  dynamic safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) => from;
+}
+
+/// A cast operation for converting dynamic values to [core.Map<K, V>] with specific key-value casts.
+///
+/// This class extends [Cast<core.Map<K, V>>] and implements the [safeCast] method
+/// to perform type checking and conversion to [core.Map<K, V>] based on a predefined
+/// map of key-specific casts.
+///
+/// The class uses a [core.Map<K, Cast<V>>] to define custom casts for specific keys.
+/// Keys not present in this map will be cast as-is.
+///
+/// The [keys] getter provides access to the keys of the internal cast map.
+///
+/// The [safeCast] method checks if the input [from] is a [core.Map]. If it is,
+/// it creates a new map, applying the specific casts for keys present in [_map]
+/// and preserving other key-value pairs as-is. If not, it throws a [FailedCast]
+/// exception with appropriate context information.
+///
+/// Usage:
+/// ```dart
+/// final keyedCast = Keyed<String, dynamic>({
+///   'age': IntCast(),
+///   'name': StringCast(),
+/// });
+/// final result = keyedCast.cast({'age': 30, 'name': 'John', 'city': 'New York'});
+/// // Returns Map<String, dynamic> with 'age' as int, 'name' as String, and 'city' preserved as-is
+/// ```
+class Keyed<K, V> extends Cast<core.Map<K, V>> {
+  Iterable<K> get keys => _map.keys;
+  final core.Map<K, Cast<V>> _map;
+  const Keyed(core.Map<K, Cast<V>> map) : _map = map;
+  @override
+  core.Map<K, V> safeCast(dynamic from, core.String context, dynamic key) {
+    final core.Map<K, V> result = {};
+    if (from is core.Map) {
+      for (final K key in from.keys as core.Iterable<K>) {
+        if (_map.containsKey(key)) {
+          result[key] = _map[key]!.safeCast(from[key], "map entry", key);
+        } else {
+          result[key] = from[key] as V;
+        }
+      }
+      return result;
+    }
+    throw FailedCast(context, key, "not a map");
+  }
+}

packages/typeforge/pubspec.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+name: protevus_typeforge
+description: The Typeforge (casting) package for the Protevus Platform
+version: 0.0.1
+homepage: https://protevus.com
+documentation: https://docs.protevus.com
+repository: https://git.protevus.com/protevus/platform
+
+environment:
+  sdk: '>=3.4.0 <4.0.0'
+  
+# Add regular dependencies here.
+dependencies:
+  meta: ^1.3.0
+
+dev_dependencies:
+  lints: ^3.0.0
+  test: ^1.24.0

packages/typeforge/test/decode_test.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,464 @@
+import 'dart:convert';
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/cast.dart' as cast;
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+import 'package:test/test.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  group("Primitive decode", () {
+    test("Can decode primitive type", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({"key": 2});
+      final int? val = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(val, 2);
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode List<dynamic> type", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": [1, "2"]
+      });
+      final List<dynamic>? l = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(l, [1, "2"]);
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode Map<String, dynamic>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {"key": "val"}
+      });
+      final KeyedArchive? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, {"key": "val"});
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode URI", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({"key": "https://host.com"});
+      final Uri? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d!.host, "host.com");
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode DateTime", () {
+      final date = DateTime.now();
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({"key": date.toIso8601String()});
+      final DateTime? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d!.isAtSameMomentAs(date), true);
+    });
+
+    test("If value is null, return null from decode", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({"key": null});
+      final int? val = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(val, isNull);
+    });
+
+    test("If archive does not contain key, return null from decode", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({});
+      final int? val = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(val, isNull);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Primitive map decode", () {
+    test("Can decode Map<String, String> from Map<String, dynamic>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {"key": "val"}
+      });
+      archive.castValues({"key": const cast.Map(cast.string, cast.string)});
+      final Map<String, String>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, {"key": "val"});
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode Map<String, List<String>>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "key": ["val"]
+        }
+      });
+      archive.castValues(
+        {"key": const cast.Map(cast.string, cast.List(cast.string))},
+      );
+      final Map<String, List<String?>>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, {
+        "key": ["val"]
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode Map<String, List<String?>> where elements are null", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "key": [null, null]
+        }
+      });
+      archive.castValues(
+        {"key": const cast.Map(cast.string, cast.List(cast.string))},
+      );
+      final Map<String, List<String?>>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, {
+        "key": [null, null]
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode Map<String, Map<String, List<String?>>>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "key": {
+            "key": ["val", null]
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      archive.castValues({
+        "key": const cast.Map(
+          cast.string,
+          cast.Map(cast.string, cast.List(cast.string)),
+        )
+      });
+      final Map<String, Map<String, List<String?>>>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, {
+        "key": {
+          "key": ["val", null]
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Primitive list decode", () {
+    test("Can decode List<String> from List<dynamic>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": ["val", null]
+      });
+      archive.castValues({"key": const cast.List(cast.string)});
+      final List<String?>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, ["val", null]);
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode List<Map<String, List<String>>>", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": [
+          {
+            "key": ["val", null]
+          },
+          null
+        ]
+      });
+      archive.castValues({
+        "key": const cast.List(cast.Map(cast.string, cast.List(cast.string)))
+      });
+      final List<Map<String, List<String?>>?>? d = archive.decode("key");
+      expect(d, [
+        {
+          "key": ["val", null]
+        },
+        null
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Coding objects", () {
+    test("Can decode Coding object", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {"name": "Bob"}
+      });
+      final Parent p = archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(p.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p.child, isNull);
+      expect(p.children, isNull);
+      expect(p.childMap, isNull);
+    });
+
+    test("If coding object is paired with non-Map, an exception is thrown", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": [
+          {"name": "Bob"}
+        ]
+      });
+      try {
+        archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent());
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError {
+        // no action required
+      }
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode list of Coding objects", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": [
+          {"name": "Bob"},
+          null,
+          {"name": "Sally"}
+        ]
+      });
+      final List<Parent?>? p = archive.decodeObjects("key", () => Parent());
+      expect(p![0]!.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p[1], isNull);
+      expect(p[2]!.name, "Sally");
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If coding object list is paired with non-List, an exception is thrown",
+        () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {"name": "Bob"}
+      });
+      try {
+        archive.decodeObjects("key", () => Parent());
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError {
+        // no op
+      }
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If any element of coding list is not a coding object, an exception is thrown",
+        () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": [
+          {"name": "Bob"},
+          'foo'
+        ]
+      });
+      try {
+        archive.decodeObjects("key", () => Parent());
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on TypeError {
+        // no op
+      }
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode map of Coding objects", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "1": {"name": "Bob"},
+          "2": null
+        }
+      });
+
+      final map = archive.decodeObjectMap("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(map.length, 2);
+      expect(map["1"]!.name, "Bob");
+      expect(map["2"], isNull);
+    });
+
+    test("If coding object map is paired with non-Map, an exception is thrown",
+        () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({"key": []});
+      try {
+        archive.decodeObjectMap("key", () => Parent());
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError {
+        // no op
+      }
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If any element of coding map is not a coding object, an exception is thrown",
+        () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {"1": "2"}
+      });
+      try {
+        archive.decodeObjectMap("key", () => Parent());
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on TypeError {
+        // no op
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Deep Coding objects", () {
+    test("Can decode single nested object", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "child": {"name": "Sally"}
+        }
+      });
+
+      final o = archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(o.name, "Bob");
+      expect(o.child!.name, "Sally");
+      expect(o.childMap, isNull);
+      expect(o.children, isNull);
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode list of nested objects", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "children": [
+            {"name": "Sally"}
+          ]
+        }
+      });
+
+      final o = archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(o.name, "Bob");
+      expect(o.child, isNull);
+      expect(o.childMap, isNull);
+      expect(o.children!.length, 1);
+      expect(o.children?.first?.name, "Sally");
+    });
+
+    test("Can decode map of nested objects", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "childMap": {
+            "sally": {"name": "Sally"}
+          }
+        }
+      });
+
+      final o = archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(o.name, "Bob");
+      expect(o.children, isNull);
+      expect(o.child, isNull);
+      expect(o.childMap!.length, 1);
+      expect(o.childMap!["sally"]!.name, "Sally");
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Coding object references", () {
+    test("Parent can contain reference to child in single object decode", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive(
+        {
+          "child": {"name": "Sally"},
+          "parent": {
+            "name": "Bob",
+            "child": {"\$ref": "#/child"}
+          }
+        },
+        allowReferences: true,
+      );
+
+      final p = archive.decodeObject("parent", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(p.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p.child!.name, "Sally");
+      expect(p.child!.parent, isNull);
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If reference doesn't exist, an error is thrown when creating document",
+        () {
+      try {
+        getJSONArchive(
+          {
+            "parent": {
+              "name": "Bob",
+              "child": {"\$ref": "#/child"}
+            }
+          },
+          allowReferences: true,
+        );
+        fail("unreachable");
+      } on ArgumentError catch (e) {
+        expect(e.toString(), contains("/child"));
+      }
+    });
+
+    test("Parent can contain reference to child in a list of objects", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive(
+        {
+          "child": {"name": "Sally"},
+          "parent": {
+            "name": "Bob",
+            "children": [
+              {"\$ref": "#/child"},
+              {"name": "fred"}
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        allowReferences: true,
+      );
+
+      final p = archive.decodeObject("parent", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(p.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p.children?.first?.name, "Sally");
+      expect(p.children?.last?.name, "fred");
+    });
+
+    test("Cyclical references are resolved", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive(
+        {
+          "child": {
+            "name": "Sally",
+            "parent": {"\$ref": "#/parent"}
+          },
+          "parent": {
+            "name": "Bob",
+            "children": [
+              {"\$ref": "#/child"},
+              {"name": "fred"}
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        allowReferences: true,
+      );
+
+      final p = archive.decodeObject("parent", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(p.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p.children?.first?.name, "Sally");
+      expect(p.children?.first?.parent!.name, "Bob");
+      expect(p.children?.last?.name, "fred");
+
+      expect(p.hashCode, isNot(p.children?.first?.parent.hashCode));
+    });
+
+    test("Can override castMap to coerce values", () {
+      final archive = getJSONArchive({
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "things": ["value"]
+        }
+      });
+      final p = archive.decodeObject("key", () => Parent())!;
+      expect(p.things, ["value"]);
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+/// Strips type info from data
+KeyedArchive getJSONArchive(dynamic data, {bool allowReferences = false}) {
+  return KeyedArchive.unarchive(
+    json.decode(json.encode(data)) as Map<String, dynamic>,
+    allowReferences: allowReferences,
+  );
+}
+
+class Parent extends Coding {
+  String? name;
+  Child? child;
+  List<Child?>? children;
+  Map<String, Child?>? childMap;
+  List<String?>? things;
+
+  @override
+  Map<String, cast.Cast<dynamic>> get castMap {
+    return {"things": const cast.List(cast.string)};
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    name = object.decode("name");
+    child = object.decodeObject("child", () => Child());
+    children = object.decodeObjects("children", () => Child());
+    childMap = object.decodeObjectMap("childMap", () => Child());
+    things = object.decode("things");
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {}
+}
+
+class Child extends Coding {
+  String? name;
+
+  Parent? parent;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    name = object.decode("name");
+    parent = object.decodeObject("parent", () => Parent());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {}
+}

packages/typeforge/test/encode_test.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,412 @@
+import 'dart:convert';
+import 'package:protevus_typeforge/codable.dart';
+import 'package:test/test.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  group("Primitive encode", () {
+    test("Can encode primitive type", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("int", 1);
+        obj.encode("string", "1");
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {"int": 1, "string": "1"});
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode List<dynamic> type", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("key", [1, "2"]);
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {
+        "key": [1, "2"]
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode Map<String, dynamic>", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("key", {"1": 1, "2": "2"});
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {
+        "key": {"1": 1, "2": "2"}
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode URI", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("key", Uri.parse("https://host.com"));
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {"key": "https://host.com"});
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode DateTime", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("key", DateTime(2000));
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {"key": DateTime(2000).toIso8601String()});
+    });
+
+    test("If value is null, do not include key", () {
+      final out = encode((obj) {
+        obj.encode("key", null);
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {});
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Coding objects", () {
+    test("Can encode Coding object", () {
+      final out = encode((object) {
+        object.encodeObject("key", Parent("Bob"));
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {
+        "key": {"name": "Bob"}
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode list of Coding objects", () {
+      final out = encode((object) {
+        object.encodeObject(
+          "key",
+          Parent("Bob", children: [Child("Fred"), null, Child("Sally")]),
+        );
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "children": [
+            {"name": "Fred"},
+            null,
+            {"name": "Sally"}
+          ]
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Can encode map of Coding objects", () {
+      final out = encode((object) {
+        object.encodeObject(
+          "key",
+          Parent(
+            "Bob",
+            childMap: {
+              "fred": Child("Fred"),
+              "null": null,
+              "sally": Child("Sally")
+            },
+          ),
+        );
+      });
+
+      expect(out, {
+        "key": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "childMap": {
+            "fred": {"name": "Fred"},
+            "null": null,
+            "sally": {"name": "Sally"}
+          }
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  group("Coding object references", () {
+    test("Parent can contain reference to child in single object encode", () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          child: Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child"),
+        ),
+        {"child": Child("Sally")},
+      );
+
+      final out = KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+      expect(out, {
+        "definitions": {
+          "child": {"name": "Sally"}
+        },
+        "root": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "child": {"\$ref": "#/definitions/child"}
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If reference doesn't exist, an error is thrown when creating document",
+        () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          child: Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child"),
+        ),
+        {},
+      );
+
+      try {
+        KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError catch (e) {
+        expect(e.toString(), contains("#/definitions/child"));
+      }
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If reference doesn't exist in objectMap, an error is thrown when creating document",
+        () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          childMap: {
+            "c": Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child")
+          },
+        ),
+        {},
+      );
+
+      try {
+        KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError catch (e) {
+        expect(e.toString(), contains("#/definitions/child"));
+      }
+    });
+
+    test(
+        "If reference doesn't exist in objectList, an error is thrown when creating document",
+        () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          children: [Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child")],
+        ),
+        {},
+      );
+
+      try {
+        KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+        fail('unreachable');
+      } on ArgumentError catch (e) {
+        expect(e.toString(), contains("#/definitions/child"));
+      }
+    });
+
+    test("Parent can contain reference to child in a list of objects", () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          children: [
+            Child("Sally"),
+            Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child")
+          ],
+        ),
+        {"child": Child("Fred")},
+      );
+
+      final out = KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+      expect(out, {
+        "definitions": {
+          "child": {"name": "Fred"}
+        },
+        "root": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "children": [
+            {"name": "Sally"},
+            {"\$ref": "#/definitions/child"}
+          ]
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Parent can contain reference to child in a map of objects", () {
+      final container = Container(
+        Parent(
+          "Bob",
+          childMap: {
+            "sally": Child("Sally"),
+            "ref": Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child")
+          },
+        ),
+        {"child": Child("Fred")},
+      );
+
+      final out = KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+      expect(out, {
+        "definitions": {
+          "child": {"name": "Fred"}
+        },
+        "root": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "childMap": {
+            "sally": {"name": "Sally"},
+            "ref": {"\$ref": "#/definitions/child"}
+          }
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("Cyclical references are resolved", () {
+      final container = Container(
+          Parent(
+            "Bob",
+            children: [
+              Child("Sally"),
+              Child._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/definitions/child")
+            ],
+          ),
+          {
+            "child": Child(
+              "Fred",
+              parent: Parent._()..referenceURI = Uri(path: "/root"),
+            )
+          });
+
+      final out = KeyedArchive.archive(container, allowReferences: true);
+      final expected = {
+        "definitions": {
+          "child": {
+            "name": "Fred",
+            "parent": {"\$ref": "#/root"}
+          }
+        },
+        "root": {
+          "name": "Bob",
+          "children": [
+            {"name": "Sally"},
+            {"\$ref": "#/definitions/child"},
+          ]
+        }
+      };
+      expect(out, expected);
+
+      // we'll also ensure that writing it out and reading it back in
+      // works, to complete the lifecycle of a document. we are ensuring
+      // that no state is accumulated in decoding that impacts encoding
+      // and ensure that our data is valid json
+      final washedData = json.decode(json.encode(out)) as Map<String, dynamic>;
+      final doc = KeyedArchive.unarchive(washedData);
+      final decodedContainer = Container._()..decode(doc);
+      final reencodedArchive = KeyedArchive.archive(decodedContainer);
+      expect(reencodedArchive, expected);
+    });
+  });
+
+  test("toPrimitive does not include keyed archives or lists", () {
+    final archive = KeyedArchive.unarchive({
+      "value": "v",
+      "archive": {"key": "value"},
+      "list": [
+        "value",
+        {"key": "value"},
+        ["value"]
+      ]
+    });
+
+    final encoded = archive.toPrimitive();
+    expect(encoded["value"], "v");
+    expect(encoded["archive"] is Map<String, dynamic>, true);
+    expect(encoded["archive"] is KeyedArchive, false);
+    expect(encoded["list"] is List<dynamic>, true);
+    expect(encoded["list"] is ListArchive, false);
+
+    expect(encoded["list"][0], "value");
+
+    expect(encoded["list"][1] is Map<String, dynamic>, true);
+
+    expect(encoded["list"][1] is KeyedArchive, false);
+
+    expect(encoded["list"][2] is List<dynamic>, true);
+
+    expect(encoded["list"][2] is ListArchive, false);
+  });
+}
+
+Map<String, dynamic>? encode(void Function(KeyedArchive object) encoder) {
+  final archive = KeyedArchive({});
+  encoder(archive);
+  return json.decode(json.encode(archive)) as Map<String, dynamic>?;
+}
+
+class Container extends Coding {
+  Container(this.root, this.definitions);
+
+  Container._();
+
+  Parent? root;
+  Map<String, Coding?>? definitions;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    root = object.decodeObject("root", () => Parent._());
+    definitions = object.decodeObjectMap("definitions", () => Child._());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encodeObject("root", root);
+    object.encodeObjectMap("definitions", definitions);
+  }
+}
+
+class Parent extends Coding {
+  Parent(this.name, {this.child, this.children, this.childMap, this.things});
+
+  Parent._();
+
+  String? name;
+  Child? child;
+  List<Child?>? children;
+  Map<String, Child?>? childMap;
+  List<String>? things;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    name = object.decode("name");
+    child = object.decodeObject("child", () => Child._());
+    children = object.decodeObjects("children", () => Child._());
+    childMap = object.decodeObjectMap("childMap", () => Child._());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encode("name", name);
+    object.encodeObject("child", child);
+    object.encodeObjects("children", children);
+    object.encodeObjectMap("childMap", childMap);
+    object.encode("things", things);
+  }
+}
+
+class Child extends Coding {
+  Child(this.name, {this.parent});
+
+  Child._();
+
+  String? name;
+  Parent? parent;
+
+  @override
+  void decode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    super.decode(object);
+
+    name = object.decode("name");
+    parent = object.decodeObject("parent", () => Parent._());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void encode(KeyedArchive object) {
+    object.encode("name", name);
+    object.encodeObject("parent", parent);
+  }
+}