MessagePack for C/C++ is a binary serialization format library that enables efficient data exchange between different languages and platforms. It provides a compact and fast method for serializing and deserializing data structures, making it ideal for applications requiring high-performance data transmission or storage.

Pros

• High performance and compact serialization compared to JSON
• Cross-language support, allowing easy integration with various programming languages
• Zero-copy deserialization for improved efficiency
• Extensive type support, including custom user-defined types

Cons

• Less human-readable than text-based formats like JSON
• Requires careful handling of version compatibility when evolving data structures
• Limited built-in schema validation compared to some alternatives
• Steeper learning curve for developers unfamiliar with binary serialization

Code Examples

1. Serializing data:

#include <msgpack.hpp>
#include <vector>
#include <string>

std::vector<std::string> vec = {"Hello", "MessagePack"};
msgpack::sbuffer sbuf;
msgpack::pack(sbuf, vec);

2. Deserializing data:

msgpack::object_handle oh = msgpack::unpack(sbuf.data(), sbuf.size());
msgpack::object obj = oh.get();
std::vector<std::string> result;
obj.convert(result);

3. Working with custom types:

struct MyType {
    int id;
    std::string name;
    MSGPACK_DEFINE(id, name);
};

MyType data{1, "Example"};
msgpack::sbuffer sbuf;
msgpack::pack(sbuf, data);

Getting Started

1. Install MessagePack for C/C++:

   git clone https://github.com/msgpack/msgpack-c.git
   cd msgpack-c
   cmake .
   make
   sudo make install
   

2. Include the MessagePack header in your C++ project:

   #include <msgpack.hpp>
   

3. Compile your project with MessagePack:

   g++ -std=c++11 your_file.cpp -o your_program -lmsgpackc