protobuf.js
**Protocol Buffers** are a language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible way of serializing structured data for use in communications protocols, data storage, and more, originally designed at Google ([see](https://protobuf.dev/)).
**protobuf.js** is a standalone JavaScript implementation of Protocol Buffers for Node.js and the browser. It works with `.proto` files out of the box, is optimized for fast binary I/O, and supports runtime reflection as well as reflection-free static code generation with strong TypeScript declarations.
## About
protobuf.js has grown from a personal project into a widely used JavaScript infrastructure library for Protocol Buffers. It is independently maintained, with participation from the upstream Protocol Buffers ecosystem, and is intentionally not tied to any specific vendor platform, commercial service, or schema registry.
If protobuf.js is important to your project or organization, especially if you depend on it commercially, [consider supporting](https://github.com/sponsors/dcodeIO) its ongoing maintenance.
## Getting started
### Install
```sh
npm install protobufjs
```
The [command line utility](./cli/#readme) for generating reflection bundles, static code and TypeScript declarations is published as an add-on package:
```sh
npm install --save-dev protobufjs-cli
```
The CLI is a small but capable standalone protobuf.js toolchain. It does not require `protoc`, but also provides `protoc-gen-pbjs` for standard `protoc` plugin workflows.
### Choose a runtime
Pick the smallest runtime variant that supports how your application loads schemas and whether it needs reflection at runtime.
| Import | Includes | Use when
| ----------------------- | ------------------ | --------
| `protobufjs` | Reflection, Parser | You load `.proto` files at runtime
| `protobufjs/light.js` | Reflection | You load JSON bundles or build schemas programmatically
| `protobufjs/minimal.js` | Static runtime | You use generated static code
The full build includes the light build, and the light build includes the minimal runtime.
### Browser builds
Pick the distribution matching your runtime variant and pin an exact version:
```html
```
Browser builds support CommonJS and AMD loaders and export globally as `window.protobuf`.
## Usage
The examples below use this schema:
```proto
syntax = "proto3";
package awesomepackage;
message AwesomeMessage {
string awesome_field = 1;
}
```
protobuf.js converts `.proto` field names to camelCase by default, so `awesome_field` is used as `awesomeField` in JavaScript. Use the `keepCase` option when loading or parsing `.proto` files to preserve field names as written.
### Load a schema
```ts
const protobuf = require("protobufjs");
const root = await protobuf.load("awesome.proto");
const AwesomeMessage = root.lookupType("awesomepackage.AwesomeMessage");
```
Optionally use `load()` with a callback, or `loadSync()` for synchronous loading on Node.js.
### Encode and decode
```ts
const payload = { awesomeField: "hello" };
// Optionally verify if the payload is of uncertain shape
const err = AwesomeMessage.verify(payload);
if (err) throw Error(err);
// Optionally create a message instance from already valid data
const message = AwesomeMessage.create(payload);
const encoded = AwesomeMessage.encode(message).finish();
const decoded = AwesomeMessage.decode(encoded);
```
`encode` expects a message instance or equivalent plain object and does not verify input implicitly. Use `verify` for plain objects whose shape is not guaranteed, `create` to create a message instance from already valid data when useful, and `fromObject` when conversion from broader JavaScript objects is needed.
Plain objects can be encoded directly when they already use protobuf.js runtime types: numbers for 32-bit numeric fields, booleans for `bool`, strings for `string`, `Uint8Array` or `Buffer` for `bytes`, arrays for repeated fields, and plain objects for maps. Map keys are the string representation of the respective value or an 8-character hash string for 64-bit/`Long` keys.
Install [`long`](https://github.com/dcodeIO/long.js) with protobuf.js when exact 64-bit integer support is required.
### Convert plain objects
Conversion is an explicit interoperability boundary. `fromObject` accepts common JavaScript inputs such as enum values by name, base64 bytes, decimal 64-bit strings, `Long`, and `BigInt`; `toObject` lets callers choose the output expected by their application or transport.
```ts
const message = AwesomeMessage.fromObject({ awesomeField: 42 });
const object = AwesomeMessage.toObject(message, {
longs: String,
enums: String,
bytes: String
});
```
Common `ConversionOptions` are:
| Option | Effect |
|--------|--------|
| `longs: BigInt` | Converts 64-bit values to bigint values |
| `longs: String` | Converts 64-bit values to decimal strings |
| `longs: Number` | Converts 64-bit values to JS numbers (may lose precision) |
| `enums: String` | Converts enum values to names |
| `bytes: String` | Converts bytes to base64 strings |
| `defaults: true` | Includes default values for unset fields |
| `arrays: true` | Includes empty arrays for repeated fields |
| `objects: true` | Includes empty objects for map fields |
| `oneofs: true` | Includes virtual oneof discriminator properties |
## Message API
Message types expose focused methods for validation, conversion, and binary I/O.
* **encode**(message: `Message | object`, writer?: `Writer`): `Writer`
Encodes a message or equivalent plain object. Call `.finish()` on the returned writer to obtain a buffer.
* **encodeDelimited**(message: `Message | object`, writer?: `Writer`): `Writer`
Encodes a length-delimited message.
* **decode**(reader: `Reader | Uint8Array`): `Message`
Decodes a message from protobuf binary data.
* **decodeDelimited**(reader: `Reader | Uint8Array`): `Message`
Decodes a length-delimited message.
* **create**(properties?: `object`): `Message`
Creates a message instance from already valid data.
* **verify**(object: `object`): `null | string`
Checks whether a plain object can be encoded as-is. Returns `null` if valid, otherwise an error message.
* **fromObject**(object: `object`): `Message`
Converts broader JavaScript input into a message instance.
* **toObject**(message: `Message`, options?: `ConversionOptions`): `object`
Converts a message instance to a configurable plain JavaScript object.
* **message#toJSON**(): `object`
Converts a message instance to JSON-compatible output using default conversion options.
Length-delimited methods read and write a varint byte length before the message, which is useful for streams and framed protocols.
If required fields are missing while decoding proto2 data, `decode` throws `protobuf.util.ProtocolError` with the partially decoded message available as `err.instance`.
## Code generation
Choose the integration style that fits your workflow and use [`protobufjs-cli`](./cli/#readme) to generate reflection bundles, static JavaScript code, and matching TypeScript declarations, either standalone with `pbjs` or through its `protoc-gen-pbjs` plugin for `protoc`.
Reflection keeps schemas as JSON metadata and generates optimized functions at runtime. Static code emits schema-specific, reflection-free functions ahead of time. The main tradeoffs are how schemas are loaded, how bundle size scales with schema size, and whether reflection metadata should remain available at runtime.
| Target | Output | Minimum Runtime |
|--------|--------|-----------------|
| `json` | JSON bundle | `protobufjs/light.js` |
| `json-module` | JSON bundle module | `protobufjs/light.js` |
| `static-module` | Static code module | `protobufjs/minimal.js` |
Module targets support `--wrap default` for CommonJS and AMD, plus `esm`, `commonjs`, `amd`, and `closure`; `--wrap` can also load a custom wrapper module.
### Static modules
Static modules emit dedicated JavaScript for your schema, so they only need `protobufjs/minimal.js` at runtime.
```sh
npx pbjs -t static-module -w esm -o awesome.js --dts awesome.proto
```
```ts
import { awesomepackage } from "./awesome.js";
const message = awesomepackage.AwesomeMessage.create({ awesomeField: "hello" });
```
### Reflection bundles
Bundling schemas avoids reparsing `.proto` files at runtime and can reduce browser requests when schemas would otherwise be loaded separately. While reflection requires at least `protobufjs/light.js`, large schemas often produce smaller bundles than equivalent static modules because most code is shared via reflection.
```sh
npx pbjs -t json -o awesome.json awesome1.proto awesome2.proto ...
```
```ts
const bundle = require("./awesome.json");
const root = protobuf.Root.fromJSON(bundle);
const AwesomeMessage = root.lookupType("awesomepackage.AwesomeMessage");
```
```sh
npx pbjs -t json-module -w esm -o awesome.js --dts awesome.proto
```
```ts
import { awesomepackage } from "./awesome.js";
const AwesomeMessage = awesomepackage.AwesomeMessage;
```
JSON modules export the reflection root and, with `-w esm`, also provide top-level named exports that align with static modules. Their declarations mirror `static-module` typings, but because JSON modules are backed by reflection objects, message instances should be created with `MyMessage.create(...)` instead of constructors. Code using `create(...)` works with static modules as well.
### TypeScript integration
protobuf.js works with TypeScript out of the box: the runtime API is typed, and generated JavaScript can be paired with strong TypeScript declarations in the same CLI invocation. Generated output is directly usable from JavaScript without a transpile step, and strongly typed in TypeScript projects, with type-checked oneofs and JavaScript-friendly plain-object input.
For example, given the oneof:
```proto
message Profile {
oneof contact {
string email = 1;
string phone = 2;
}
}
```
Generated declarations narrow both the `contact` oneof and the concrete values:
```ts
const profile = Profile.create({
contact: "email",
email: "hello@example.com"
});
if (profile.contact === "email") {
profile.email; // string
}
const decoded = Profile.decode(bytes);
if (decoded.contact === "phone") {
decoded.phone; // string
}
```
Plain objects can use the same narrowed shape through a collision-free scoped type:
```ts
const object: Profile.$Shape = {
contact: "email",
email: "hello@example.com"
};
```
## Advanced usage
### Programmatic schemas
The full and light builds can construct schemas directly through reflection:
```ts
const AwesomeMessage = new protobuf.Type("AwesomeMessage")
.add(new protobuf.Field("awesomeField", 1, "string"));
const root = new protobuf.Root()
.define("awesomepackage")
.add(AwesomeMessage);
```
### Custom message classes
A reflected type can use a custom class as its runtime constructor:
```ts
class AwesomeMessage extends protobuf.Message {
awesomeField = "";
constructor(properties?: protobuf.Properties) {
super(properties);
// ...
}
customInstanceMethod() {
return this.awesomeField.toLowerCase();
}
}
root.lookupType("awesomepackage.AwesomeMessage").ctor = AwesomeMessage;
const decoded = AwesomeMessage.decode(bytes);
decoded.customInstanceMethod(); // string
```
protobuf.js will populate the constructor with the usual static runtime methods and use it for decoded messages. In TypeScript, custom members are visible when using the custom class type in consuming code.
### Services
protobuf.js supports service clients built from reflected service definitions. The service API is transport-agnostic: provide an `rpcImpl` function to connect it to HTTP, WebSocket, gRPC, or another transport. See [examples/streaming-rpc.js](./examples/streaming-rpc.js) for details.
### Descriptors
For `google/protobuf/descriptor.proto` interoperability, see [ext/descriptor](./ext/README.md#descriptor). Note that because protobuf.js does not use `descriptor.proto` internally, options are parsed and presented literally.
### Text format
Protocol Buffers Text Format is supported via [ext/textformat](./ext/README.md#textformat) and exercised by the conformance suite.
### Content Security Policy
In [CSP](https://w3c.github.io/webappsec-csp/)-restricted environments that disallow unsafe-eval, use generated static code instead of runtime code generation.
## Conformance
protobuf.js targets complete binary wire-format conformance for **Proto2**, **Proto3** and **Editions**. CI runs the official Protocol Buffers conformance suite, with logs [uploaded as artifacts](https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/actions/workflows/test.yml?query=branch%3Amaster+event%3Apush).
Wire format by syntax:
| Syntax | Total | Required | Recommended |
| -------- | ------------------: | ----------------: | ----------------: |
| Proto2 | 100.00% (694/694) | 100.00% (485/485) | 100.00% (209/209) |
| Proto3 | 100.00% (689/689) | 100.00% (482/482) | 100.00% (207/207) |
| Editions | 100.00% (1176/1176) | 100.00% (926/926) | 100.00% (250/250) |
## Performance
In both reflection and static modes, protobuf.js builds specialized encoders and decoders instead of interpreting descriptors at runtime.
The repository includes a [small benchmark](./bench). It compares protobuf.js reflection and static code against JSON encode/decode, protoc-gen-js, and protoc-gen-es. Results depend on hardware, Node.js version, and message shape, so they should be treated as indicative rather than absolute.
Benchmark run on AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D with Node.js 24.15.0
```
benchmarking encode performance ...
protobuf.js reflect x 2,430,103 ops/sec ±0.62% (95 runs sampled)
protobuf.js static x 2,390,407 ops/sec ±0.42% (96 runs sampled)
JSON encode x 2,155,918 ops/sec ±0.63% (92 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-js x 995,429 ops/sec ±0.18% (98 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-es x 403,334 ops/sec ±0.14% (96 runs sampled)
protobuf.js reflect was fastest
protobuf.js static was 1.4% ops/sec slower (factor 1.0)
JSON encode was 11.3% ops/sec slower (factor 1.1)
protoc-gen-js was 58.9% ops/sec slower (factor 2.4)
protoc-gen-es was 83.3% ops/sec slower (factor 6.0)
benchmarking decode performance ...
protobuf.js reflect x 6,440,387 ops/sec ±0.25% (97 runs sampled)
protobuf.js static x 6,463,283 ops/sec ±0.27% (101 runs sampled)
JSON decode x 1,409,923 ops/sec ±0.11% (97 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-js x 947,647 ops/sec ±0.15% (99 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-es x 731,819 ops/sec ±0.28% (98 runs sampled)
protobuf.js static was fastest
protobuf.js reflect was 0.3% ops/sec slower (factor 1.0)
JSON decode was 78.2% ops/sec slower (factor 4.6)
protoc-gen-js was 85.3% ops/sec slower (factor 6.8)
protoc-gen-es was 88.7% ops/sec slower (factor 8.8)
benchmarking round-trip performance ...
protobuf.js reflect x 1,310,677 ops/sec ±0.21% (97 runs sampled)
protobuf.js static x 1,310,926 ops/sec ±0.26% (101 runs sampled)
JSON encode/decode x 741,714 ops/sec ±0.24% (99 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-js x 472,844 ops/sec ±0.09% (96 runs sampled)
protoc-gen-es x 254,044 ops/sec ±0.05% (101 runs sampled)
protobuf.js reflect was fastest
protobuf.js static was 0.0% ops/sec slower (factor 1.0)
JSON encode/decode was 43.4% ops/sec slower (factor 1.8)
protoc-gen-js was 63.9% ops/sec slower (factor 2.8)
protoc-gen-es was 80.6% ops/sec slower (factor 5.2)
```
Run it locally with:
```sh
npm --prefix bench install
npm run bench
```
## Compatibility
Supported runtimes are browsers, Node.js v12+, Deno and Bun. When using the CLI with Bun, Node.js must also be installed.
## Security
Security-impacting reports are handled through coordinated GitHub Security Advisories where appropriate. See [SECURITY.md](./SECURITY.md) for supported release lines and reporting instructions.
## Development
```sh
git clone https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js
cd protobuf.js
npm install
npm --prefix cli install
```
Running the tests:
```sh
npm test
```
Building the development and production versions with their respective source maps to `dist/`:
```sh
npm run build
```
## Additional documentation
* [API Documentation](https://protobufjs.github.io/protobuf.js)
* [Changelog](./CHANGELOG.md)
* [Protocol Buffers Documentation](https://protobuf.dev/)