diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index aa515ca..67c7ce4 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -25,11 +25,12 @@ rustdoc-args = ["--cfg", "docsrs"]
 
 [features]
 default = ["simd", "std"]
+chunk-len = []
 graphemes = ["unicode-segmentation"]
 serde = ["dep:serde"]
 simd = ["str_indices/simd"]
-utf16-metric = []
 std = []
+utf16-metric = []
 
 # Private features
 small_chunks = []
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ serde = { version = "1", optional = true }
 unicode-segmentation = { version = "1.10.0", optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
+bincode = { version = "2", features = ["serde"] }
 criterion = "0.7"
 rand = "0.9"
 rand_chacha = "0.9"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 52350ad..d956468 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -151,14 +151,13 @@
 
 extern crate alloc;
 
+mod rope;
 pub mod iter {
     //! Iterators over [`Rope`](crate::Rope)s and
     //! [`RopeSlice`](crate::RopeSlice)s.
 
     pub use crate::rope::iterators::*;
 }
-
-mod rope;
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub mod tree;
 
diff --git a/src/rope/gap_buffer.rs b/src/rope/gap_buffer.rs
index 7cb4184..6d6527b 100644
--- a/src/rope/gap_buffer.rs
+++ b/src/rope/gap_buffer.rs
@@ -47,10 +47,14 @@ pub struct GapBuffer {
     pub(super) right_summary: StrSummary,
 }
 
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, Debug, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct GapBufferSummary {
     /// The sum of the [`StrSummary`]s of the left and right chunks.
     pub(super) chunks_summary: StrSummary,
+
+    /// The number of chunks in the buffer.
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    pub(super) num_chunks: usize,
 }
 
 impl core::fmt::Debug for GapBuffer {
@@ -1221,6 +1225,9 @@ impl Leaf for GapBuffer {
     fn summarize(&self) -> Self::Summary {
         GapBufferSummary {
             chunks_summary: self.left_summary + self.right_summary,
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            num_chunks: (self.len_left() > 0) as usize
+                + (self.len_right() > 0) as usize,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1331,7 +1338,11 @@ impl Summary for GapBufferSummary {
 
     #[inline]
     fn empty() -> Self {
-        Self { chunks_summary: StrSummary::empty() }
+        Self {
+            chunks_summary: StrSummary::empty(),
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            num_chunks: 0,
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -1349,6 +1360,10 @@ impl AddAssign for GapBufferSummary {
     #[inline]
     fn add_assign(&mut self, rhs: Self) {
         self.chunks_summary += rhs.chunks_summary;
+        #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+        {
+            self.num_chunks += rhs.num_chunks;
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -1366,6 +1381,10 @@ impl SubAssign for GapBufferSummary {
     #[inline]
     fn sub_assign(&mut self, rhs: Self) {
         self.chunks_summary -= rhs.chunks_summary;
+        #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+        {
+            self.num_chunks -= rhs.num_chunks;
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rope/gap_slice.rs b/src/rope/gap_slice.rs
index 71a5c97..078fa12 100644
--- a/src/rope/gap_slice.rs
+++ b/src/rope/gap_slice.rs
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@ impl<'a> LeafSlice<'a> for GapSlice<'a> {
     fn summarize(&self) -> GapBufferSummary {
         GapBufferSummary {
             chunks_summary: self.right_summary + self.left_summary,
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            num_chunks: (self.len_left() > 0) as usize
+                + (self.len_right() > 0) as usize,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rope/iterators.rs b/src/rope/iterators.rs
index da22a26..e770bcb 100644
--- a/src/rope/iterators.rs
+++ b/src/rope/iterators.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ pub struct Chunks<'a> {
     leaves: Leaves<'a, { Rope::arity() }, RopeChunk>,
     forward_extra_right: Option<&'a str>,
     backward_extra_left: Option<&'a str>,
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    len: usize,
 }
 
 impl<'a> From<&'a Rope> for Chunks<'a> {
@@ -21,7 +23,13 @@ impl<'a> From<&'a Rope> for Chunks<'a> {
         if rope.is_empty() {
             let _ = leaves.next();
         }
-        Self { leaves, forward_extra_right: None, backward_extra_left: None }
+        Self {
+            leaves,
+            forward_extra_right: None,
+            backward_extra_left: None,
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            len: rope.chunk_len(),
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -32,15 +40,46 @@ impl<'a> From<&RopeSlice<'a>> for Chunks<'a> {
         if slice.is_empty() {
             let _ = leaves.next();
         }
-        Self { leaves, forward_extra_right: None, backward_extra_left: None }
+        Self {
+            leaves,
+            forward_extra_right: None,
+            backward_extra_left: None,
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            len: slice.chunk_len(),
+        }
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> Iterator for Chunks<'a> {
-    type Item = &'a str;
+impl<'a> Chunks<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn next_back_inner(&mut self) -> Option<&'a str> {
+        if let Some(extra) = self.backward_extra_left.take() {
+            Some(extra)
+        } else {
+            let Some(gap_slice) = self.leaves.next_back() else {
+                return self.forward_extra_right.take();
+            };
+
+            if gap_slice.right_chunk().is_empty() {
+                #[cfg(feature = "small_chunks")]
+                if gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty() {
+                    return self.next_back_inner();
+                }
+
+                debug_assert!(!gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty());
+
+                Some(gap_slice.left_chunk())
+            } else {
+                if !gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty() {
+                    self.backward_extra_left = Some(gap_slice.left_chunk());
+                }
+                Some(gap_slice.right_chunk())
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+    fn next_inner(&mut self) -> Option<&'a str> {
         if let Some(extra) = self.forward_extra_right.take() {
             Some(extra)
         } else {
@@ -51,7 +90,7 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for Chunks<'a> {
             if gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty() {
                 #[cfg(feature = "small_chunks")]
                 if gap_slice.right_chunk().is_empty() {
-                    return self.next();
+                    return self.next_inner();
                 }
 
                 debug_assert!(!gap_slice.right_chunk().is_empty());
@@ -67,37 +106,51 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for Chunks<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-impl DoubleEndedIterator for Chunks<'_> {
-    #[inline]
-    fn next_back(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
-        if let Some(extra) = self.backward_extra_left.take() {
-            Some(extra)
-        } else {
-            let Some(gap_slice) = self.leaves.next_back() else {
-                return self.forward_extra_right.take();
-            };
+impl<'a> Iterator for Chunks<'a> {
+    type Item = &'a str;
 
-            if gap_slice.right_chunk().is_empty() {
-                #[cfg(feature = "small_chunks")]
-                if gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty() {
-                    return self.next_back();
-                }
+    #[inline]
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        let next = self.next_inner();
+        #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+        {
+            self.len -= next.is_some() as usize;
+        }
+        next
+    }
 
-                debug_assert!(!gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty());
+    #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "chunk-len")))]
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    #[inline]
+    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
+        let exact = self.len();
+        (exact, Some(exact))
+    }
+}
 
-                Some(gap_slice.left_chunk())
-            } else {
-                if !gap_slice.left_chunk().is_empty() {
-                    self.backward_extra_left = Some(gap_slice.left_chunk());
-                }
-                Some(gap_slice.right_chunk())
-            }
+impl DoubleEndedIterator for Chunks<'_> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn next_back(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        let next = self.next_back_inner();
+        #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+        {
+            self.len -= next.is_some() as usize;
         }
+        next
     }
 }
 
 impl core::iter::FusedIterator for Chunks<'_> {}
 
+#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "chunk-len")))]
+#[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+impl core::iter::ExactSizeIterator for Chunks<'_> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.len
+    }
+}
+
 /// An iterator over the bytes of `Rope`s and `RopeSlice`s.
 ///
 /// This struct is created by the `bytes` method on [`Rope`](Rope::bytes())
diff --git a/src/rope/rope.rs b/src/rope/rope.rs
index 6bb778e..3211974 100644
--- a/src/rope/rope.rs
+++ b/src/rope/rope.rs
@@ -255,6 +255,17 @@ impl Rope {
         Chars::from(self)
     }
 
+    /// Returns the number of chunks in this `Rope`.
+    ///
+    /// This is equivalent to `self.chunks().len()`, but it doesn't require
+    /// constructing an intermediate [`Chunks`] iterator.
+    #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "chunk-len")))]
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn chunk_len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.tree.summary().num_chunks
+    }
+
     /// Returns an iterator over the chunks of this [`Rope`].
     #[inline]
     pub fn chunks(&self) -> Chunks<'_> {
@@ -982,7 +993,13 @@ mod serde_impls {
         where
             S: serde::Serializer,
         {
-            let mut seq = serializer.serialize_seq(None)?;
+            #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+            let chunk_len = Some(self.chunk_len());
+
+            #[cfg(not(feature = "chunk-len"))]
+            let chunk_len = None;
+
+            let mut seq = serializer.serialize_seq(chunk_len)?;
             for chunk in self.chunks() {
                 seq.serialize_element(chunk)?;
             }
diff --git a/src/rope/rope_slice.rs b/src/rope/rope_slice.rs
index c7c921c..e816325 100644
--- a/src/rope/rope_slice.rs
+++ b/src/rope/rope_slice.rs
@@ -242,6 +242,17 @@ impl<'a> RopeSlice<'a> {
         Chars::from(self)
     }
 
+    /// Returns the number of chunks in this `RopeSlice`.
+    ///
+    /// This is equivalent to `self.chunks().len()`, but it doesn't require
+    /// constructing an intermediate [`Chunks`] iterator.
+    #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "chunk-len")))]
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn chunk_len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.tree_slice.summary().num_chunks
+    }
+
     /// Returns an iterator over the chunks of this `RopeSlice`.
     #[inline]
     pub fn chunks(&self) -> Chunks<'a> {
diff --git a/tests/serde.rs b/tests/serde.rs
index 0968d7f..b9e6f0e 100644
--- a/tests/serde.rs
+++ b/tests/serde.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ mod tests {
 
         serde_test::assert_tokens(
             &rope,
-            &[serde_test::Token::Seq { len: None }, serde_test::Token::SeqEnd],
+            &[
+                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: chunk_len(&rope) },
+                serde_test::Token::SeqEnd,
+            ],
         );
     }
 
@@ -22,7 +25,7 @@ mod tests {
         serde_test::assert_tokens(
             &rope,
             &[
-                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: None },
+                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: chunk_len(&rope) },
                 serde_test::Token::Str("lorem ipsum"),
                 serde_test::Token::SeqEnd,
             ],
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ mod tests {
         serde_test::assert_tokens(
             &rope,
             &[
-                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: None },
+                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: chunk_len(&rope) },
                 serde_test::Token::Str("lorem ipsum"),
                 serde_test::Token::Str(" dolor"),
                 serde_test::Token::SeqEnd,
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ mod tests {
         serde_test::assert_tokens(
             &rope,
             &[
-                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: None },
+                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: chunk_len(&rope) },
                 serde_test::Token::Str("lorem\nipsum"),
                 serde_test::Token::SeqEnd,
             ],
@@ -75,10 +78,40 @@ mod tests {
         serde_test::assert_tokens(
             &rope,
             &[
-                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: None },
+                serde_test::Token::Seq { len: chunk_len(&rope) },
                 serde_test::Token::Str("lorem\r\nipsum"),
                 serde_test::Token::SeqEnd,
             ],
         );
     }
+
+    fn chunk_len(_rope: &Rope) -> Option<usize> {
+        #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+        {
+            Some(_rope.chunk_len())
+        }
+        #[cfg(not(feature = "chunk-len"))]
+        {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "chunk-len")]
+    #[test]
+    fn ser_de_bincode() {
+        let mut rope = Rope::new();
+        rope.insert(0, "lorem dolor");
+        rope.insert(6, "ipsuma ");
+        rope.delete(11..12);
+
+        let config = bincode::config::standard();
+
+        let serialized = bincode::serde::encode_to_vec(&rope, config).unwrap();
+
+        let (deserialized, _) =
+            bincode::serde::decode_from_slice::<Rope, _>(&serialized, config)
+                .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(rope, deserialized);
+    }
 }