Godot Save Load Systems

NEVER Do

• NEVER save without a version field — When you update your game's data structure, old saves will break. Always include a "version": "1.0.0" field and implement migration logic.
• NEVER use absolute OS paths — Hardcoding C:/Users/... will break on every other machine. Always use the user:// protocol, which Godot maps to the correct OS-specific app data folder.
• NEVER attempt to save Node references directly — Nodes are objects, not raw data. Extract the necessary primitive data (positions, health, levels) into a Dictionary or Resource instead.
• NEVER forget to close FileAccess handles — Leaving a file open can lead to handle leaks and save-file corruption. In Godot 4, files auto-close when the variable goes out of scope, but explicit close() is safer for long-running logic.
• NEVER use JSON for very large binary data — Storing 10MB of texture data as Base64 in JSON is slow and bloats file size. Use binary store_var() or separate dedicated asset files.
• NEVER trust loaded data without validation — Users can edit save files. Always use data.get("field", default_value) and validate that numbers are within expected ranges to prevent crashes.
• NEVER trigger a save during high-frequency physics or animation updates — A crash mid-write will corrupt the file. Save only on explicit game events like entering a menu, finishing a level, or at a checkpoint.
• NEVER modify a save Dictionary while iterating over its keys — Calling erase() or add() inside a loop over the same dictionary causes iteration errors. Use data.duplicate() to iterate safely.
• NEVER store raw passwords or sensitive credentials in unencrypted JSON — If you have sensitive data, use FileAccess.open_encrypted_with_pass() to secure it.
• NEVER use ResourceLoader.load() for massive scenes on the main thread — It causes a visible freeze. Use ResourceLoader.load_threaded_request() to load levels in the background.
• NEVER rely on get_instance_id() for cross-session identification — These IDs are assigned at runtime and change every time the game restarts. Generate your own persistent String UUIDs for game objects.
• NEVER forget to call duplicate(true) on a loaded Resource stats block — If multiple enemies load the same "goblin_stats.tres", they will all share the same health pool unless duplicated.
• NEVER use the "allow_objects" flag in store_var/get_var for untrusted data — Setting this to true allows full object decoding, which is a major security risk for saves downloaded from the web.
• NEVER use JSON for data requiring strict type preservation — JSON converts Vector3 to a string or dictionary. For strict data types, use var_to_bytes() or a binary format.
• NEVER leave internal metadata (set_meta) in persistent dictionaries — This unnecessarily inflates save file size. Clean your dictionaries before serialization.

Available Scripts

MANDATORY: Read the script for the chosen format before writing SaveManager code.

save_load_patterns.gd

MANDATORY for JSON / binary / PERSIST collect — patterns default store_var(..., false).

save_migration_manager.gd

MANDATORY when any save has a version field that can lag the build.

save_system_encryption.gd

MANDATORY before encrypted slots — password from secure storage / user secret, never hardcoded in examples.

save_integrity_validator.gd

Rolling .bak + SHA-256 verify before trusting a slot; fall back to backup on mismatch.

Deep dive (load on demand)

MANDATORY for JSON/PERSIST walkthroughs, binary examples, gotchas, and elite encrypted paths — references/save-patterns-deep.md. Do not paste Step 1–3 Autoload tutorials into scenes.

Expert WHY (critical)

CAUTION: Baseline tutorials used store_var(data, true). Untrusted user:// saves must allow_objects=false — RCE risk on modded/workshop files.

• Vectors in JSON — store {x,y,z} components; JSON does not round-trip Vector3 faithfully.
• Rolling backup — crash mid-write corrupts primary; copy to .bak before overwrite (save_integrity_validator.gd).
• When to save — menu/checkpoint/level complete only — never per physics frame.

Decision Tree: Pick a Persistence Shape

Do not paste Step 1–3 JSON Autoload tutorials here — implement from the scripts.

allow_objects Trust Boundary

Default always store_var(data, false) / get_var(false).

Encrypted elite paths still use false unless the payload is explicitly trusted-local and non-user-editable.

Golden Path (version → migrate → backup → atomic write)

1. Version field on every save blob.
2. Migrate via save_migration_manager.gd when versions differ.
3. Backup existing file (DirAccess.copy_absolute to .bak) before overwrite.
4. Write to temp then rename, or write-after-backup; validate open errors.
5. Integrity optional: FileAccess.get_sha256 compare; fall back to backup on mismatch.
6. Paths only user:// — never absolute OS paths.
7. When to save — menu, checkpoint, level complete — never per physics frame.

Settings may use ConfigFile separately from run-progress JSON/binary.

Reference

Progressive disclosure: open Official Documentation links only when researching a specific API; load Related Skills when routing to a peer domain — do not preload the whole lattice.

Official Documentation

• Saving games — Persist group serialization, JSON line format, and the canonical save/load loop this skill builds on.
• File paths in Godot — user:// vs res:// mapping across OS app-data folders; never hardcode absolute paths.
• Binary serialization API — store_var/get_var Variant encoding, type fidelity, and why allow_objects is unsafe for untrusted saves.
• Background loading — ResourceLoader.load_threaded_request for hitch-free level/resource loads after a save restore.
• File system — FileAccess/DirAccess workflow for existence checks, backups, and safe overwrite patterns.
• Resources — Resource vs Dictionary persistence, duplicate(true), and when .tres/.res beats hand-rolled JSON.
• Groups — SceneTree group membership used by the Persist/PERSIST auto-collect pattern.
• FileAccess — Open modes, encrypted-with-pass AES helpers, SHA-256, compression flags, and buffer I/O.
• JSON — stringify/parse/parse_string for human-readable saves and validation of parse errors.
• ConfigFile — INI-style settings (user://settings.cfg) separate from full game-state saves.
• ResourceSaver — Persist typed Resources/custom Resource trees when JSON type loss is unacceptable.
• AESContext — Low-level AES block encrypt/decrypt used by custom compressed encrypted save pipelines.

Related Skills

Prerequisites

• godot-project-foundations — ProjectSettings, Autoload registration, and user:// project identity must exist before a SaveManager can own paths.
• godot-gdscript-mastery — Typed Dictionaries, Resources, and error-handling patterns for versioned serialize/deserialize code.
• godot-autoload-architecture — SaveManager is almost always an Autoload; use this for singleton ownership, boot order, and scene-change survival.

Complements

• godot-resource-data-patterns — Custom Resource schemas and .tres workflows that pair with ResourceSaver instead of flattening everything to JSON.
• godot-scene-management — Threaded scene swaps and wipe/rebuild Persist nodes after load without leaking old world state.
• godot-signal-architecture — game_saved / game_loaded event buses so UI and systems react without hard-wiring SaveManager.
• godot-ui-containers — Settings menus that write ConfigFile/volume keys this skill persists separately from run progress.
• godot-inventory-system — Item stacks and equipment dictionaries are the heaviest Persist payloads; share ID schemes with save migration.
• godot-quest-system — Quest flags/stage IDs must round-trip through versioned saves without breaking journal UI.
• godot-economy-system — Currency wallets and shop unlocks need the same version field and validation as player progress.

Downstream / consumers

• godot-adapt-single-to-multiplayer — Local save patterns become host-authoritative state sync; never trust client-edited JSON in multiplayer.
• godot-monte-carlo-balancer — Use when progression/economy curves stored in saves need simulated balance passes against migration defaults.
• godot-multiplayer-networking — Server-side validation and snapshot formats that replace plaintext user:// saves for competitive modes.

Master

• godot-master — Library router and mirrored module entry; open when discovering which Domain Skill owns persistence vs content systems.