--- title: "Serialize an item or a tree of items" slug: "serialize-an-item-or-a-tree-of-items-484805" abstract: "How to serialize an item or a tree of items so that Sitecore stores the item hierarchy in text files." --- # Serialize an item or a tree of items When you serialize an item or a tree of items, Sitecore stores the item hierarchy in text files. This topic outlines: - [Serialize items](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/sitecore-experience-manager/serialize-an-item-or-a-tree-of-items-484805.html#UUID-7022a241-1215-2cd7-83b7-ce18d7f14857_section-5c8bb4983caf3-idm45681585008016 "Serialize items") - [Serialize security entities](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/sitecore-experience-manager/serialize-an-item-or-a-tree-of-items-484805.html#UUID-7022a241-1215-2cd7-83b7-ce18d7f14857_section-5c8bb5bd8727d-idm45681584996208 "Serialize security entities")

Serialize items

 You can serialize a single item or a series of items. The first time you serialize a single item, the whole tree to which the item belongs is serialized. To serialize an item: 1. In the Content Editor, select an item. 2. On the **Developer** tab, in the **Serialize** group, click **Serialize Item**. > [!note] > If the item is not configured to be included in a serialization tree, nothing will be stored and you will get an error message. To serialize an item with all its subitems: 1. In the Content Editor, select a parent item. 2. On the **Developer** tab, in the **Serialize** group, click **Serialize Tree**. > [!note] > If the root item of the selected item tree, or any of the descendants, is configured to be included in a serialization tree, then the selected subtree is serialized to files. If not, you will see a dialog with this information. You can choose to serialize all configured trees in the current database from this dialog.

Serialize security entities

 You can serialize security entities. [You can configure predicates](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/sitecore-experience-manager/configure-serialization.html "Configure serialization") to filter which users and roles are serialized. The following table describes the serialization commands and the applications where you perform them: | Sitecore application | Command | Description | Storage folder | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | User Manager | Serialize User | Serializes the selected user. | In the serialization folder:

`/security/domain name/users/user name/*.yml` | | | Serialize All Users | Serializes all the users. | | | | Revert User | Reverts the selected user. | | | | Revert All Users | Reverts all the users.

All the users who are in the database but are not in the file system will be removed. | | | Role Manager | Serialize Role | Serializes the selected role. | In the serialization folder:

`/security/domain name/roles/role name/*.yml` | | | Serialize All Roles | Serializes all the roles. | | | | Revert Role | Reverts the selected role. | | | | Revert All Roles | Reverts all the roles.

All the roles that are in the database but are not in the file system will be removed. | | | Domain Manager | Serialize Domain Users | Serializes all the users in the selected domain. | See above. | | | Serialize Domain Roles | Serializes all the roles in the selected domain. | | | | Serialize Domain Users and Roles | Serializes all the users and roles in the selected domain. | | | | Revert Domain Users | Reverts all the users in the selected domain.

All users from the selected domain which are not in the file system will be removed. | | | | Revert Domain Roles | Reverts all the users and roles from the selected domain.

All roles from the selected domain which are not in the file system will be removed. | | | | Revert Domain Users and Roles | Reverts all the users and roles from the selected domain.

All users and roles from the selected domain which are not in the file system will be removed. | |