Protocol buffers are Google's language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible mechanism for serializing structured data – think XML, but smaller, faster, and simpler. You define how you want your data to be structured once, then you can use special generated source code to easily write and read your structured data to and from a variety of data streams and using a variety of languages. Join me in this talk to hear about first hand experience from building Microservices with Protocol Buffers. You will find out about good and bad. After this talk you should know, if you should use Protocol buffers in your project or not.

1. Protocol buffers and
Microservices
Vladimir Dejanović
Voxxed Days Bristol 02Mar2017
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

2. Let’s Meet
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

3. Agenda
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

4. Agenda
Before Protocol Buffers
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

5. Agenda
Before Protocol Buffers
Protocol Buffers
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

6. Agenda
Before Protocol Buffers
Protocol Buffers
Should I care about Protocol Buffers
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

7. Agenda
Before Protocol Buffers
Protocol Buffers
Should I care about Protocol Buffers
Questions
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

8. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

9. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

10. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

11. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

12. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Message

13. In the beginning there was a message
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Message
Message => Format

14. Fast Forward to 1996
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

15. Fast Forward to 1996
XML - Extensible Markup Language
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

16. Fast Forward to 1996
XML - Extensible Markup Language
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Both Human-readable and Machine-readable

17. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example

18. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example

19. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example

20. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<xsd:element name="attendee" type="AttendeeType"/>
<xsd:complexType name="AttendeeType">
<xsd:sequence>
<xsd:element name="firstName" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="lastName" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="address" type="AddressType"/>
</xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>
<xsd:complexType name="AddressType">
<xsd:sequence>
<xsd:element name="city" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="street" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="number" type="xsd:decimal"/>
</xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

21. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example

22. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example
159

23. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
<attendee>
<firstName>John</firstName>
<lastName>Doe</lastName>
<address>
<city>Bristol</city>
<street>Canon's Road</street>
<number>1</number>
</address>
</attendee>
XML Example
159
68

24. Fast Forward to 2000 ( sort of )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

25. Fast Forward to 2000 ( sort of )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON

26. Fast Forward to 2000 ( sort of )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON
“JavaScript Object Notation” (sometimes)

27. Fast Forward to 2000 ( sort of )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON
“JavaScript Object Notation” (sometimes)
Both Human-readable and Machine-readable

28. Fast Forward to 2000 ( sort of )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON
“JavaScript Object Notation” (sometimes)
Both Human-readable and Machine-readable
Developer Friendly

29. JSON Example
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
{
firstName : "John",
lastName: "Doe",
address: {
city: "Bristol",
street: "Canon's Road",
number: 1
}
}

30. JSON Example
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
{
firstName : "John",
lastName: "Doe",
address: {
city: "Bristol",
street: "Canon's Road",
number: 1
}
}
90 vs 159

31. JSON Example
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
{
firstName : "John",
lastName: "Doe",
address: {
city: "Bristol",
street: "Canon's Road",
number: 1
}
}
90 vs 159
68

32. No JSON Schema
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

33. No JSON Schema
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON Schema is an Internet Draft currently
in its 5th version, which was released on
October 13, 2016

34. No JSON Schema
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON Schema is an Internet Draft currently
in its 5th version, which was released on
October 13, 2016
http://json-schema.org/latest/json-schema-core.html

35. Fast Forward some more ….
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

36. Fast Forward some more ….
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Welcome to Microservice Era

37. Fast Forward some more ….
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Welcome to Microservice Era (Present Time)

38. Fast Forward some more ….
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Welcome to Microservice Era
Monolith is OUT
(Present Time)

39. Fast Forward some more ….
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Welcome to Microservice Era
Micro is IN
Monolith is OUT
(Present Time)

40. In the Nutshell
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

41. In the Nutshell
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

42. In the Nutshell
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

43. In the Nutshell
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

44. Network Call, Message and Format
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

45. Network Call, Message and Format
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Which format should we use

46. Network Call, Message and Format
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Which format should we use
XML or JSON

47. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

48. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
XML - security for valid messages ( XSD )

49. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
XML - security for valid messages ( XSD )
JSON - we hope all messages will be good

50. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
XML - potentially huge size

51. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
XML - potentially huge size
JSON - smaller size

52. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
High traffic Financial system

53. XML vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Most systems with high traffic
and not “critical” data

54. New Contender
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

55. New Contender
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol Buffers

56. New Contender
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol Buffers
Google public release V2 in 2008

57. Protocol Buffer
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

58. Protocol Buffer
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol buffers are a flexible, efficient,
automated mechanism for serializing
structured data – think XML, but smaller, faster,
and simpler.

59. Protocol Buffer
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol buffers are a flexible, efficient,
automated mechanism for serializing
structured data – think XML, but smaller,
faster, and simpler.

60. Protocol Buffer
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

61. Generate Code
$ protoc --java_out=src_dir attendee.proto
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

62. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

63. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

64. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

65. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

66. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

67. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

68. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

69. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

70. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

71. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

72. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

73. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

74. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

75. @VladimirD_42#VDB17
syntax = "proto2";
package voxxed.bristol;
option java_package = "com.voxxed.bristol.pojo";
option java_outer_classname = "AttendeeProto";
message Attendee {
required string first_name = 1;
required string last_name = 2;
message Address {
required string city = 1;
required string street = 2;
required int32 number = 3;
}
optional Address address = 3;
}

76. Generated Code
Message Classes are all immutable
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

77. Generated Code
Each Message Class has Builder
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

78. Generated Code
static Attendee parseFrom(byte[] data)
static Attendee parseFrom(InputStream input)
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

79. Generated Code
byte[] toByteArray()
void writeTo(OutputStream output)
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

80. Backward Compatibility Don'ts
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

81. Backward Compatibility Don'ts
Change the tag numbers of any existing fields
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

82. Backward Compatibility Don'ts
Change the tag numbers of any existing fields
Add or Delete any required fields
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

83. Backward Compatibility Do's
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

84. Backward Compatibility Do's
Delete optional or repeated fields.
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

85. Backward Compatibility Do's
Delete optional or repeated fields.
Add new optional or repeated fields
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

86. Backward Compatibility Do's
Delete optional or repeated fields.
Add new optional or repeated fields
(But you must use fresh tag numbers )
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

87. Demo
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

88. Conclusion
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

89. Conclusion
JSON and XML are Human friendly
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

90. Conclusion
JSON and XML are Human friendly
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol Buffers proto file needed

91. Conclusion
Protocol Buffers compact and fast
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

92. Conclusion
Protocol Buffers compact and fast
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
JSON is everywhere

93. Conclusion
Protocol Buffers vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

94. Conclusion
Protocol Buffers vs JSON
@VladimirD_42#VDB17
Protocol Buffers vs XML

95. Conclusion
Protocol Buffers would not be a good way to
model a text-based document with markup
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

96. Questions
@VladimirD_42
ed.wong.iv@gmail.com
@VladimirD_42#VDB17

97. Thank You
@VladimirD_42#VDB17