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Protocol buffers are a faster and easier alternative to XML for serializing data. They use an interface description language to encode data transferred between software. Users define information in a .proto file and use a compiler to create access classes in C++, Python, or Java. Protocol buffers are simpler and more practical than XML, taking up less space and being faster.
Protocol buffers are mechanisms that allow data to be serialized. Essentially, they help in converting information into a different form which is storable within a computer. In technical terms, protocol buffers can be defined as a type of interface description language that encodes data that is transferred between different types of software which are then able to decode that data. They were originally created by Google as a faster and easier alternative to XML.
Using protocol buffers takes time and practice for people not used to working with computer programs. The first step in using them is to define a particular piece of information in a .proto file with numbers and abbreviated words to designate more complex actions and objects. A compiler is then used to create various access classes particular to the original data to be encoded, which can be in one of three languages: C++, Python or Java. These classes are used in writing a data program. Information entered into the program can be resaved as a .proto file and transferred between different types of software.
The instructions for using the protocol buffers are necessarily extensive. Before getting started, users need to download the protocol buffer, which typically comes with a comprehensive tutorial for beginners. While some may cost money, most are free for anyone with a computer and Internet access.
Three programming languages are used in the protocol buffers. C++, the oldest and for a long time the most popular, was written by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979 as a means of facilitating communication between different but related software programs. James Gosling developed the Java language in 1995. This programming language was built on C++ and meant to be more user-friendly. Under the leadership of Guido van Rossum, the Python language appeared in 1991 with greater flexibility than C++ or Java – it allows different approaches to programming, unlike the other two.
Before protocol buffers, Extensible Markup Language (XML) was the most popular means of serializing data. While still in use, the new alternative has gained a large following for several reasons. What it really boils down to is simplicity and practicality. Compared to XML, protocol buffers are faster, take up less space on a computer, and are easier to use once users become familiar with their basic functionality. Ultimately, they’re one more thing that makes performing tasks on a computer a little easier and more efficient.
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