# Protocol Buffers

> Google's data interchange format

Define structured data once and generate fast serialization code for many languages.

- Source: https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf
- Homepage: http://protobuf.dev
- License: NOASSERTION
- Language: C++
- Stars: 72090
- Forks: 16303
- Contributors: 1241
- Last commit: 2026-10-03
- Latest release: v36.2 (2026-09-17)
- Purpose: Developer tools, API tools
- Runs on: Library / SDK
- For: Enterprise

## Worth score: 80/100

How much DigGitHub recommends it, from activity, adoption, docs, license and security signals.

- Popularity: 24/25
- Momentum: 10/20
- Maintenance: 25/25
- Community: 15/15
- Readiness: 6/15

## Alternatives

- [Axios](https://diggithub.com/axios/axios.md): Promise-based HTTP client for browser and Node.js
- [CCXT](https://diggithub.com/ccxt/ccxt.md): Unified API for 100+ crypto exchanges
- [gRPC](https://diggithub.com/grpc/grpc.md): High-performance RPC framework
- [FastAPI](https://diggithub.com/fastapi/fastapi.md): Fast Python framework for building APIs
- [curl](https://diggithub.com/curl/curl.md): Transfer data with URLs
- [tRPC](https://diggithub.com/trpc/trpc.md): End-to-end typesafe APIs
- [Requests](https://diggithub.com/psf/requests.md): HTTP for humans in Python
- [Apache Dubbo](https://diggithub.com/apache/dubbo.md): RPC and microservice framework for Java

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Source page: https://diggithub.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf
Updated: 2026-10-03