Grechabuf

binary data (de)serializer, highly inspired by Tsoding's multiplayer prototype

// just declare struct
const PersonStruct = grechabuf.createStruct({
    name: grechabuf.string(),
    roles: grechabuf.array(
        grechabuf.string()
    ),
    health: grechabuf.i8(),
    food: grechabuf.i8(),
    lostBrainCells: grechabuf.u32(),
})

// and just serialize!
const buffer = PersonStruct.serialize({
    name: "John Doe",
    roles: ["Admin", "TsodingSessionsEnjoyer"],
    health: 100,
    food: 77,
    lostBrainCells: 69420
})

"why don't use my favourite Protobuf!?!??"

• Protobuf is bloated dependency (its like opening json in Visual Studio)
• Grechabuf has no dependencies (only devDependencies for building and testing)
• Grechabuf is singlefile .ts/.cjs/.mjs to use
• Grechabuf is easy to expand (see custom fields)
• Grechabuf has TypeScript support
• See tests for more details

installation

• With NPM (with bundler on web)

  npm install grechabuf
  yarn add grechabuf
  pnpm add grechabuf
• From Github:
  • If you using Javascript: go to /dist folder and grab here .cjs/.mjs files
  • If you using Typescript: grab grachabuf.ts and copy it to your project

examples

(go to examples/)

custom fields

type Vector2 = { x: number, y: number }

//   deserialized type ---vvvvvvv
const vector2 = (): Field<Vector2> => {
    return {
        // calculate size for certain value (useful for strings/arrays/other dynamic values)
        size(value) {
            return 4 + 4
        },

        // serialization
        // takes DataView, position (byteOffset) and value (javascript value)
        // returns count of written bytes
        serialize(view, position, value) {
            view.setFloat32(position, value.x)
            view.setFloat32(position + 4, value.y)
            return 4 + 4
        },

        // deserialization
        // takes DataView, position (byteOffset)
        // returns object
        deserialize(view, position) {
            return {
                // deserialized data
                data: {
                    x: view.getFloat32(position),
                    y: view.getFloat32(position + 4)
                },

                // count of read bytes
                length: 4 + 4
            }
        }
    }
}


// And then use it!

const SomeStruct = grechabuf.createStruct({
    someField: vector2()
})

SomeStruct.serialize({
    someField: { x: 123.4, y: 567.8 }
})