xref: /aosp_15_r20/external/golang-protobuf/proto/doc.go (revision 1c12ee1efe575feb122dbf939ff15148a3b3e8f2)
1// Copyright 2019 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
2// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
3// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
4
5// Package proto provides functions operating on protocol buffer messages.
6//
7// For documentation on protocol buffers in general, see:
8// https://protobuf.dev.
9//
10// For a tutorial on using protocol buffers with Go, see:
11// https://protobuf.dev/getting-started/gotutorial.
12//
13// For a guide to generated Go protocol buffer code, see:
14// https://protobuf.dev/reference/go/go-generated.
15//
16// # Binary serialization
17//
18// This package contains functions to convert to and from the wire format,
19// an efficient binary serialization of protocol buffers.
20//
21// • Size reports the size of a message in the wire format.
22//
23// • Marshal converts a message to the wire format.
24// The MarshalOptions type provides more control over wire marshaling.
25//
26// • Unmarshal converts a message from the wire format.
27// The UnmarshalOptions type provides more control over wire unmarshaling.
28//
29// # Basic message operations
30//
31// • Clone makes a deep copy of a message.
32//
33// • Merge merges the content of a message into another.
34//
35// • Equal compares two messages. For more control over comparisons
36// and detailed reporting of differences, see package
37// "google.golang.org/protobuf/testing/protocmp".
38//
39// • Reset clears the content of a message.
40//
41// • CheckInitialized reports whether all required fields in a message are set.
42//
43// # Optional scalar constructors
44//
45// The API for some generated messages represents optional scalar fields
46// as pointers to a value. For example, an optional string field has the
47// Go type *string.
48//
49// • Bool, Int32, Int64, Uint32, Uint64, Float32, Float64, and String
50// take a value and return a pointer to a new instance of it,
51// to simplify construction of optional field values.
52//
53// Generated enum types usually have an Enum method which performs the
54// same operation.
55//
56// Optional scalar fields are only supported in proto2.
57//
58// # Extension accessors
59//
60// • HasExtension, GetExtension, SetExtension, and ClearExtension
61// access extension field values in a protocol buffer message.
62//
63// Extension fields are only supported in proto2.
64//
65// # Related packages
66//
67// • Package "google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson" converts messages to
68// and from JSON.
69//
70// • Package "google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/prototext" converts messages to
71// and from the text format.
72//
73// • Package "google.golang.org/protobuf/reflect/protoreflect" provides a
74// reflection interface for protocol buffer data types.
75//
76// • Package "google.golang.org/protobuf/testing/protocmp" provides features
77// to compare protocol buffer messages with the "github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
78// package.
79//
80// • Package "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/dynamicpb" provides a dynamic
81// message type, suitable for working with messages where the protocol buffer
82// type is only known at runtime.
83//
84// This module contains additional packages for more specialized use cases.
85// Consult the individual package documentation for details.
86package proto
87