explicit serialVersionUID considered harmful?

Question

I am probably risking some downvotes on this.

It seems to me that explicitly specifying serialVersionUID for new classes is bad. Consider the two cases of not changi

Answer 1

Whether you go for serialVersionUID or not (I suggest you do), then you should really consider creating a comprehensive set of tests for serial compatibility.

It's also worth designing the serial format with care. It is effectively a public API.