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wtf is go-simple-flatbuffer?

bxcodec/go-simple-flatbuffer — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2017-06-09

4GoAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · easy

TL;DR

An experimental Go project that benchmarks Flatbuffers against JSON for faster data exchange over HTTP. It measures serialization and deserialization speeds to show how skipping full data translation can improve app performance.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Tests Flatbuffers vs JSON
      Measures HTTP data speed
      Benchmarks serialize deserialize
    Tech stack
      Go language
      Flatbuffers format
      HTTP requests
    Use cases
      Speed up mobile apps
      Reduce server data lag
      Compare data formats
    Audience
      Go developers
      Performance optimizers
    Setup
      Run benchmark tests
      Sparse docs
      Companion to blog post

Code map

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Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Benchmark Flatbuffers against JSON in a Go HTTP service to measure speed differences

REASON 2

Reduce data translation lag in a mobile app pulling large datasets from a server

REASON 3

Compare serialization and deserialization performance to choose the best data format

REASON 4

Use the test setup as a starting point to explore faster data exchange patterns in Go

What's in the stack?

GoFlatbuffersHTTP

How it stacks up

bxcodec/go-simple-flatbufferaeneasr/github-trendscoocood/geodns
Stars444
LanguageGoGoGo
Last pushed2017-06-092020-12-182018-10-30
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyhard
Complexity2/52/54/5
Audiencedeveloperpm founderops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Sparse documentation means you may need to refer to the linked blog post for context beyond basic test commands.

The repository does not include license information, so usage rights are unclear.

Wtf does this do

Go-Simple-Flatbuffer is an experimental project exploring how to make data exchange between systems faster and more efficient. The core idea is to speed up how applications send and receive information, particularly when that data travels over the web through standard HTTP requests. At a high level, the project tests a data format called "Flatbuffers," which is an alternative to common formats like JSON. While traditional formats require an application to read and translate an entire chunk of data before it can be used, this approach allows the receiving system to access specific pieces of information directly without doing that full translation step. This project builds a basic setup to see how much faster this method is in practice. The primary audience for this repository is developers who work with the Go programming language and are looking to optimize their applications. For example, if a company has a mobile app that constantly pulls large amounts of data from a server, the time and computing power spent translating that data can slow things down. A developer might use the concepts here to reduce that lag, making their app feel snappier while using less memory on the user's device. The repository is set up as a practical test rather than a finished product, providing tools to measure and compare performance. It includes automated tests to benchmark the time it takes to send data over HTTP, as well as tests to measure how quickly the data can be serialized and deserialized, the process of packaging data to send it and unpacking it once it arrives. Beyond the basic setup instructions and testing commands, the documentation is very sparse. It does not go into detail about the specific results of the benchmarks or provide a step-by-step guide for integrating the approach into a larger application. The creator links to an external blog post, suggesting the code serves as a companion piece to a broader written explanation about the research.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Set up a Go HTTP server that serves data in both Flatbuffers and JSON formats, then write benchmark tests comparing their serialization and deserialization speeds
Prompt 2
Help me integrate Google Flatbuffers into my existing Go HTTP API so I can benchmark response times against my current JSON endpoints
Prompt 3
Create a Go benchmark test that measures how long it takes to serialize and deserialize a large struct using both Flatbuffers and JSON, and print the results
Prompt 4
Explain how to use this go-simple-flatbuffer repo to run the included benchmarks and interpret the HTTP data transfer speed comparisons

Frequently asked questions

wtf is go-simple-flatbuffer?

An experimental Go project that benchmarks Flatbuffers against JSON for faster data exchange over HTTP. It measures serialization and deserialization speeds to show how skipping full data translation can improve app performance.

What language is go-simple-flatbuffer written in?

Mainly Go. The stack also includes Go, Flatbuffers, HTTP.

Is go-simple-flatbuffer actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2017-06-09).

What license does go-simple-flatbuffer use?

The repository does not include license information, so usage rights are unclear.

How hard is go-simple-flatbuffer to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is go-simple-flatbuffer for?

Mainly developer.

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