diff --git a/aya/src/obj/btf/btf.rs b/aya/src/obj/btf/btf.rs
index a6ba2990..dc83395b 100644
--- a/aya/src/obj/btf/btf.rs
+++ b/aya/src/obj/btf/btf.rs
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@ use std::{
     ptr,
 };
 
+use bytes::BufMut;
+
 use object::Endianness;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 use crate::{
     generated::{btf_ext_header, btf_header},
     obj::btf::{relocation::Relocation, BtfKind, BtfType},
+    util::bytes_of,
 };
 
 pub(crate) const MAX_RESOLVE_DEPTH: u8 = 32;
@@ -291,6 +294,18 @@ impl Btf {
             type_id: root_type_id,
         })
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn to_bytes(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_header>(&self.header).to_vec();
+        for t in self.types() {
+            let b = unsafe { t.to_bytes() };
+            buf.put(b.as_slice())
+        }
+        for s in &self.strings {
+            buf.put_u8(*s);
+        }
+        buf
+    }
 }
 
 unsafe fn read_btf_header(data: &[u8]) -> btf_header {
@@ -472,4 +487,54 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(header.str_off, 0x2a5464);
         assert_eq!(header.str_len, 0x1c6410);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_btf() {
+        let data: &[u8] = &[
+            0x9f, 0xeb, 0x01, 0x00, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x01,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0xe1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x06, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x04, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x16, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x40, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x60, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x80, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xa0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x4e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x08, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x54, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01,
+            0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x0d, 0x06, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x61, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x65, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x01, 0x69, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x05, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0xb7, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xbc, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0xd0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0e, 0x09, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00,
+            0x00, 0x00, 0xd9, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+            0x0b, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x78,
+            0x64, 0x70, 0x5f, 0x6d, 0x64, 0x00, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61, 0x00, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74,
+            0x61, 0x5f, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x64, 0x00, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61, 0x5f, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x74,
+            0x61, 0x00, 0x69, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x72, 0x65, 0x73, 0x73, 0x5f, 0x69, 0x66, 0x69, 0x6e,
+            0x64, 0x65, 0x78, 0x00, 0x72, 0x78, 0x5f, 0x71, 0x75, 0x65, 0x75, 0x65, 0x5f, 0x69,
+            0x6e, 0x64, 0x65, 0x78, 0x00, 0x65, 0x67, 0x72, 0x65, 0x73, 0x73, 0x5f, 0x69, 0x66,
+            0x69, 0x6e, 0x64, 0x65, 0x78, 0x00, 0x5f, 0x5f, 0x75, 0x33, 0x32, 0x00, 0x75, 0x6e,
+            0x73, 0x69, 0x67, 0x6e, 0x65, 0x64, 0x20, 0x69, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x00, 0x63, 0x74, 0x78,
+            0x00, 0x69, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x00, 0x78, 0x64, 0x70, 0x5f, 0x70, 0x61, 0x73, 0x73, 0x00,
+            0x78, 0x64, 0x70, 0x2f, 0x70, 0x61, 0x73, 0x73, 0x00, 0x2f, 0x68, 0x6f, 0x6d, 0x65,
+            0x2f, 0x64, 0x61, 0x76, 0x65, 0x2f, 0x64, 0x65, 0x76, 0x2f, 0x62, 0x70, 0x66, 0x64,
+            0x2f, 0x62, 0x70, 0x66, 0x2f, 0x78, 0x64, 0x70, 0x5f, 0x70, 0x61, 0x73, 0x73, 0x2e,
+            0x62, 0x70, 0x66, 0x2e, 0x63, 0x00, 0x20, 0x20, 0x20, 0x20, 0x72, 0x65, 0x74, 0x75,
+            0x72, 0x6e, 0x20, 0x58, 0x44, 0x50, 0x5f, 0x50, 0x41, 0x53, 0x53, 0x3b, 0x00, 0x63,
+            0x68, 0x61, 0x72, 0x00, 0x5f, 0x5f, 0x41, 0x52, 0x52, 0x41, 0x59, 0x5f, 0x53, 0x49,
+            0x5a, 0x45, 0x5f, 0x54, 0x59, 0x50, 0x45, 0x5f, 0x5f, 0x00, 0x5f, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x63,
+            0x65, 0x6e, 0x73, 0x65, 0x00, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x63, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x73, 0x65, 0x00,
+        ];
+        let got = Btf::parse(data, Endianness::default());
+        match got {
+            Ok(_) => {}
+            Err(e) => panic!("{}", e),
+        }
+        let data2 = got.unwrap().to_bytes();
+        assert_eq!(data, data2);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/aya/src/obj/btf/types.rs b/aya/src/obj/btf/types.rs
index acbe57c6..aab93b68 100644
--- a/aya/src/obj/btf/types.rs
+++ b/aya/src/obj/btf/types.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use crate::{
         BTF_KIND_UNKN, BTF_KIND_VAR, BTF_KIND_VOLATILE,
     },
     obj::btf::{Btf, BtfError, MAX_RESOLVE_DEPTH},
+    util::bytes_of,
 };
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
@@ -149,6 +150,63 @@ impl BtfType {
         })
     }
 
+    pub(crate) unsafe fn to_bytes(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        match self {
+            BtfType::Fwd(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Const(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Volatile(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Restrict(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Ptr(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Typedef(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Func(btf_type)
+            | BtfType::Float(btf_type) => bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec(),
+            BtfType::Int(btf_type, len) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                buf.append(&mut len.to_ne_bytes().to_vec());
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::Enum(btf_type, enums) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                for en in enums {
+                    buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_enum>(en).to_vec());
+                }
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::Array(btf_type, btf_array) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_array>(btf_array).to_vec());
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::Struct(btf_type, btf_members) | BtfType::Union(btf_type, btf_members) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                for m in btf_members {
+                    buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_member>(m).to_vec());
+                }
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::FuncProto(btf_type, btf_params) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                for p in btf_params {
+                    buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_param>(p).to_vec());
+                }
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::Var(btf_type, btf_var) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_var>(btf_var).to_vec());
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::DataSec(btf_type, btf_var_secinfo) => {
+                let mut buf = bytes_of::<btf_type>(btf_type).to_vec();
+                for s in btf_var_secinfo {
+                    buf.append(&mut bytes_of::<btf_var_secinfo>(s).to_vec());
+                }
+                buf
+            }
+            BtfType::Unknown => vec![],
+        }
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn type_info_size(&self) -> usize {
         let ty_size = mem::size_of::<btf_type>();
 
@@ -406,7 +464,8 @@ mod tests {
             0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x40, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Int(ty, nr_bits)) => {
                 assert_eq!(ty.name_off, 1);
                 assert_eq!(nr_bits, 64);
@@ -414,6 +473,8 @@ mod tests {
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected int type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -422,11 +483,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x06, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Ptr(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected ptr type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -436,11 +500,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Array(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected array type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -450,11 +517,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x04, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x47, 0x02,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Struct(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected struct type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -464,11 +534,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x05, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x04,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x68, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Union(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected union type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -478,11 +551,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x06, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xc9, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xcf, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Enum(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected enum type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -491,11 +567,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x0b, 0x55, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x07, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Fwd(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected fwd type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -504,11 +583,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x31, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x08, 0x0b, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Typedef(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected typedef type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -517,11 +599,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x09, 0x24, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Volatile(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected volatile type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -530,11 +615,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Const(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected const type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -543,11 +631,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0b, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Restrict(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected restrict type gpt {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -556,11 +647,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x17, 0x8b, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0xf0, 0xe4, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Func(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected func type gpt {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -570,11 +664,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::FuncProto(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected func_proto type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -585,11 +682,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0e, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Var(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected var type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
-        }
+        };
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -600,11 +700,14 @@ mod tests {
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
             0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::DataSec(_, _)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected datasec type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -613,10 +716,13 @@ mod tests {
         let data: &[u8] = &[
             0x78, 0xfd, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x10, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
         ];
-        match unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) } {
+        let got = unsafe { BtfType::read(data, endianness) };
+        match got {
             Ok(BtfType::Float(_)) => {}
             Ok(t) => panic!("expected float type, got {:#?}", t),
             Err(_) => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
+        let data2 = unsafe { got.unwrap().to_bytes() };
+        assert_eq!(data, data2.as_slice())
     }
 }
diff --git a/aya/src/obj/mod.rs b/aya/src/obj/mod.rs
index 810cc83b..d6826127 100644
--- a/aya/src/obj/mod.rs
+++ b/aya/src/obj/mod.rs
@@ -609,10 +609,9 @@ fn is_program_section(name: &str) -> bool {
 mod tests {
     use matches::assert_matches;
     use object::Endianness;
-    use std::slice;
 
     use super::*;
-    use crate::PinningType;
+    use crate::{util::bytes_of, PinningType};
 
     fn fake_section<'a>(name: &'a str, data: &'a [u8]) -> Section<'a> {
         Section {
@@ -635,11 +634,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
-    fn bytes_of<T>(val: &T) -> &[u8] {
-        let size = mem::size_of::<T>();
-        unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts(slice::from_ref(val).as_ptr().cast(), size) }
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn test_parse_generic_error() {
         assert!(matches!(
diff --git a/aya/src/util.rs b/aya/src/util.rs
index a2496c90..07799ed2 100644
--- a/aya/src/util.rs
+++ b/aya/src/util.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::{
     ffi::CString,
     fs::{self, File},
     io::{self, BufReader},
+    mem, slice,
     str::FromStr,
 };
 
@@ -143,6 +144,12 @@ macro_rules! include_bytes_aligned {
     }};
 }
 
+// bytes of converts a <T> to raw bytes
+pub(crate) fn bytes_of<T>(val: &T) -> &[u8] {
+    let size = mem::size_of::<T>();
+    unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts(slice::from_ref(val).as_ptr().cast(), size) }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;