1. In a computer system that supports a serialization engine capable of generating source code for objects, a method of serializing one or more objects from an initial representation to any of one or more subsequent representations, for one or more standard object types and serialization formats, and which may be extended to cover one or more custom object types and serialization formats, the method comprising acts of: providing a serialization manager to (i) coordinate one or more standard serialization providers that each identify one or more standard serializers for a standard object type or serialization format, and (ii) load, as needed, one or more custom serialization providers that each identify one or more custom serializers for one or more custom object types or serialization formats that are not covered by the one or more standard serialization providers; requesting a serializer from the serialization manager for an object graph that comprises an object of a particular object type, and for a particular serialization format; and calling the serializer to serialize the object graph.