Protocol Buffers
| Protocol Buffers | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | |
| Initial release | Early 2001 (internal) July 7, 2008 (public) |
| Stable release | 31.1
/ 28 May 2025 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C++, C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, PHP, Dart |
| Operating system | Any |
| Platform | Cross-platform |
| Type | serialization format and library, IDL compiler |
| License | BSD |
| Website | protobuf |
| Filename extension |
.proto |
|---|---|
| Internet media type | application/protobuf, application/vnd.google.protobuf |
| Developed by | |
| Latest release | 3 |
| Type of format | Interface description language |
| Open format? | Yes |
| Free format? | Yes |
| Website | protobuf |
Protocol Buffers (Protobuf) is a free and open-source cross-platform data format used to serialize structured data. It is useful in developing programs that communicate with each other over a network or for storing data. The method involves an interface description language that describes the structure of some data and a program that generates source code from that description for generating or parsing a stream of bytes that represents the structured data.