Travis CI Matrix Builds: [](https://travis-ci.org/gogo/protobuf)
### Getting Started (Give me the speed I don't care about the rest)
Install the protoc-gen-gofast binary
go get github.com/gogo/protobuf/protoc-gen-gofast
Use it to generate faster marshaling and unmarshaling go code for you protocol buffers.
protoc --gofast_out=. myproto.proto
### Getting started (I have heard about fields without pointers and more code generation)
Other binaries are also included:
protoc-gen-gogofast (same as gofast, but imports gogoprotobuf)
protoc-gen-gogofaster (same as gogofast, without XXX_unrecognized, less pointer fields)
protoc-gen-gogoslick (same as gogofaster, but with generated string, gostring and equal methods)
### Getting started (I want more customization power over fields, speed, other serialization formats and tests, etc.)
Please visit the [homepage](http://gogo.github.io) for more documentation.
### Installation
To install it, you must first have Go (at least version 1.2.2) installed (see [http://golang.org/doc/install](http://golang.org/doc/install)). Go 1.2.2, 1.3.3, 1.4.2 and 1.5 are continiuosly tested.
Next, install the standard protocol buffer implementation from [https://github.com/google/protobuf](https://github.com/google/protobuf).
Most versions from 2.3.1 should not give any problems, but 2.5.0, 2.6.1 and 3 alpha are continiously tested.
Finally run:
go get github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto
go get github.com/gogo/protobuf/protoc-gen-gogo
go get github.com/gogo/protobuf/gogoproto
### Proto3
Proto3 is supported, but most of the new native types are not supported yet.
[See Proto3 Issue](https://github.com/gogo/protobuf/issues/57) for more details.
### GRPC
It works the same as golang/protobuf, simply specify the plugin.
// Extensions for Protocol Buffers to create more go like structures.
//
// Copyright (c) 2013, Vastech SA (PTY) LTD. All rights reserved.
// http://github.com/gogo/protobuf/gogoproto
//
// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
// met:
//
// * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
// * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
// copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
// distribution.
//
// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
// "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
// LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
// A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
// OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
// DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
// THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
// (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
/*
Package gogoproto provides extensions for protocol buffers to achieve:
- fast marshalling and unmarshalling.
- peace of mind by optionally generating test and benchmark code.
- more canonical Go structures.
- less typing by optionally generating extra helper code.
- goprotobuf compatibility
More Canonical Go Structures
A lot of time working with a goprotobuf struct will lead you to a place where you create another struct that is easier to work with and then have a function to copy the values between the two structs.
You might also find that basic structs that started their life as part of an API need to be sent over the wire. With gob, you could just send it. With goprotobuf, you need to make a parallel struct.
Gogoprotobuf tries to fix these problems with the nullable, embed, customtype and customname field extensions.
- nullable, if false, a field is generated without a pointer (see warning below).
- embed, if true, the field is generated as an embedded field.
- customtype, It works with the Marshal and Unmarshal methods, to allow you to have your own types in your struct, but marshal to bytes. For example, custom.Uuid or custom.Fixed128
- customname (beta), Changes the generated fieldname. This is especially useful when generated methods conflict with fieldnames.
- casttype (beta), Changes the generated fieldtype. All generated code assumes that this type is castable to the protocol buffer field type. It does not work for maps, structs or enums.
Warning about nullable: According to the Protocol Buffer specification, you should be able to tell whether a field is set or unset. With the option nullable=false this feature is lost, since your non-nullable fields will always be set. It can be seen as a layer on top of Protocol Buffers, where before and after marshalling all non-nullable fields are set and they cannot be unset.
See below that the field's name is MySize and not Size.
type C struct {
MySize *int64
}
The is useful when having a protocol buffer message with a field name which conflicts with a generated method.
As an example, having a field name size and using the sizer plugin to generate a Size method will cause a go compiler error.
Using customname you can fix this error without changing the field name.
This is typically useful when working with a protocol buffer that was designed before these methods and/or the go language were avialable.
Gogoprotobuf also has some more subtle changes, these could be changed back:
- the generated package name for imports do not have the extra /filename.pb,
but are actually the imports specified in the .proto file.
Gogoprotobuf also has lost some features which should be brought back with time:
- Marshalling and unmarshalling with reflect and without the unsafe package,
this requires work in pointer_reflect.go
Why does nullable break protocol buffer specifications:
The protocol buffer specification states, somewhere, that you should be able to tell whether a
field is set or unset. With the option nullable=false this feature is lost,
since your non-nullable fields will always be set. It can be seen as a layer on top of
protocol buffers, where before and after marshalling all non-nullable fields are set
and they cannot be unset.
Goprotobuf Compatibility:
Gogoprotobuf is compatible with Goprotobuf, because it is compatible with protocol buffers.
Gogoprotobuf generates the same code as goprotobuf if no extensions are used.
The enumprefix, getters and stringer extensions can be used to remove some of the unnecessary code generated by goprotobuf:
- gogoproto_import, if false, the generated code imports github.com/golang/protobuf/proto instead of github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto.
- goproto_enum_prefix, if false, generates the enum constant names without the messagetype prefix
- goproto_enum_stringer (experimental), if false, the enum is generated without the default string method, this is useful for rather using enum_stringer, or allowing you to write your own string method.
- goproto_getters, if false, the message is generated without get methods, this is useful when you would rather want to use face
- goproto_stringer, if false, the message is generated without the default string method, this is useful for rather using stringer, or allowing you to write your own string method.
- goproto_extensions_map (beta), if false, the extensions field is generated as type []byte instead of type map[int32]proto.Extension
- goproto_unrecognized (beta), if false, XXX_unrecognized field is not generated. This is useful in conjunction with gogoproto.nullable=false, to generate structures completely devoid of pointers and reduce GC pressure at the cost of losing information about unrecognized fields.
Less Typing and Peace of Mind is explained in their specific plugin folders godoc:
