# Protocol Multiplexing using rpc-style multicodecs, protobufs with libp2p
This examples shows how to use multicodecs (i.e. protobufs) to encode and transmit information between LibP2P hosts using LibP2P Streams.
Multicodecs present a common interface, making it very easy to swap the codec implementation if needed.
This example expects that you area already familiar with the [echo example](https://github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/tree/master/examples/echo).
## Build
Compile the .proto files with the protobufs go compiler:
Compile the .proto files using the protobufs go compiler:
```
protoc --go_out=. ./p2p.proto
...
...
@@ -31,8 +29,9 @@ From `multipro` base source folder:
## Details
The example creates two LibP2P Hosts. Host1 opens a stream to Host2. Host2 has an `StreamHandler` to deal with the incoming stream. This is covered in the `echo` example.
The example creates two LibP2P Hosts supporting 2 protocols: ping and echo.
Each protocol consists RPC-style requests and respones and each request and response is a typed protobufs message (and a go data object).
This is a different pattern then defining a whole p2p protocol as 1 protobuf message with lots of optional fields (as can be observed in various p2p-lib protocols using protobufs such as dht).
The example shows how to match async received responses with their requests. This is useful when processing a response requires access to the request data.
Both hosts simulate a conversation. But rather than sending raw messages on the stream, each message in the conversation is encoded under a `json` object (using the `json` multicodec). For example:
The stream lasts until one of the sides closes it when the HangUp field is `true`.