msgpack5

What is msgpack5?

The msgpack5 npm package is a JavaScript implementation of the MessagePack serialization format. MessagePack is an efficient binary serialization format that enables data exchange between different languages and environments. The msgpack5 package allows you to encode and decode data in the MessagePack format, making it useful for applications that require efficient data serialization and deserialization.

What are msgpack5's main functionalities?

Encoding Data

This feature allows you to encode JavaScript objects into the MessagePack binary format. The code sample demonstrates encoding a simple object with a key-value pair.

const msgpack = require('msgpack5')();
const encoded = msgpack.encode({ foo: 'bar' });
console.log(encoded);

Decoding Data

This feature allows you to decode MessagePack binary data back into JavaScript objects. The code sample shows encoding an object and then decoding it back to its original form.

const msgpack = require('msgpack5')();
const encoded = msgpack.encode({ foo: 'bar' });
const decoded = msgpack.decode(encoded);
console.log(decoded);

Custom Types

This feature allows you to register custom types for encoding and decoding. The code sample demonstrates how to register the Date type and encode/decode it using MessagePack.

const msgpack = require('msgpack5')();
msgpack.register(0x42, Date, (date) => +date, (timestamp) => new Date(timestamp));
const encoded = msgpack.encode(new Date());
const decoded = msgpack.decode(encoded);
console.log(decoded);

Other packages similar to msgpack5

msgpack-lite

msgpack-lite is another JavaScript implementation of the MessagePack format. It is designed to be lightweight and fast, with a focus on performance. Compared to msgpack5, msgpack-lite may offer better performance but might lack some of the additional features and flexibility provided by msgpack5.

notepack.io

notepack.io is a high-performance MessagePack implementation for JavaScript. It is optimized for speed and efficiency, making it suitable for applications that require fast serialization and deserialization. Compared to msgpack5, notepack.io is more performance-oriented but may not have as many customization options.

msgpack

msgpack is the official JavaScript implementation of the MessagePack format. It is maintained by the MessagePack organization and aims to provide a standard and reliable implementation. Compared to msgpack5, the official msgpack package may offer better compatibility with the MessagePack specification but might not have the same level of community support and additional features.

README

msgpack5  

A msgpack v5 implementation for node.js and the browser, with extension point support.

Install

npm install msgpack5 --save

Usage

var msgpack = require('msgpack5')() // namespace our extensions
  , a       = new MyType(2, 'a')
  , encode  = msgpack.encode
  , decode  = msgpack.decode

msgpack.register(0x42, MyType, mytipeEncode, mytipeDecode)

console.log(encode({ 'hello': 'world' }).toString('hex'))
// 81a568656c6c6fa5776f726c64
console.log(decode(encode({ 'hello': 'world' })))
// { hello: 'world' }
console.log(encode(a).toString('hex'))
// d5426161
console.log(decode(encode(a)) instanceof MyType)
// true
console.log(decode(encode(a)))
// { value: 'a', size: 2 }

function MyType(size, value) {
  this.value = value
  this.size  = size
}

function mytipeEncode(obj) {
  var buf = new Buffer(obj.size)
  buf.fill(obj.value)
  return buf
}

function mytipeDecode(data) {
  var result = new MyType(data.length, data.toString('utf8', 0, 1))
    , i

  for (i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
    if (data.readUInt8(0) != data.readUInt8(i)) {
      throw new Error('should all be the same')
    }
  }

  return result
}

In the Browser

This library is compatible with Browserify.

If you want to use standalone, grab the file in the dist folder of this repo, and use in your own HTML page, the module will expose a msgpack5 global.

<script type="text/javascript"
        src="./msgpack5.min.js">
</script>

To build

	npm run build

API

API

• msgpack()
• msgpack().encode()
• msgpack().decode()
• msgpack().registerEncoder()
• msgpack().registerDecoder()
• msgpack().register()
• msgpack().encoder()
• msgpack().decoder()

---

msgpack(options(obj))

Creates a new instance on which you can register new types for being encoded.

options:

• forceFloat64, a boolean to that forces all floats to be encoded as 64-bits floats. Defaults is false.

---

encode(object)

Encodes object in msgpack, returns a bl.

---

decode(buf)

Decodes buf from in msgpack. buf can be a Buffer or a bl instance.

In order to support a stream interface, a user must pass in a bl instance.

---

registerEncoder(check(obj), encode(obj))

Register a new custom object type for being automatically encoded. The arguments are:

• check, a function that will be called to check if the passed object should be encoded with the encode function
• encode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary form; this function must return a Buffer which include the same type for registerDecoder.

---

registerDecoder(type, decode(buf))

Register a new custom object type for being automatically decoded. The arguments are:

• type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serialized
• decode, a function that will be called to decode the object from the passed Buffer

---

register(type, constructor, encode(obj), decode(buf))

Register a new custom object type for being automatically encoded and decoded. The arguments are:

• type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serialized
• constructor, the function that will be used to match the objects with instanceof
• encode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary form; this function must return a Buffer that can be deserialized by the decode function
• decode, a function that will be called to decode the object from the passed Buffer

This is just a commodity that calls registerEncoder and registerDecoder internally.

---

encoder()

Builds a stream in object mode that encodes msgpack.

---

decoder()

Builds a stream in object mode that decodes msgpack.

LevelUp Support

msgpack5 can be used as a LevelUp valueEncoding straight away:

var level = require('level')
  , pack  = msgpack()
  , db    = level('foo', {
      valueEncoding: pack
    })
  , obj   = { my: 'obj' }

db.put('hello', obj, function(err) {
  db.get('hello', function(err, result) {
    console.log(result)
    db.close()
  })
})

Related projects

• msgpack5rpc: An implementation of the msgpack-rpc spec on top of this library.

Disclaimer

This library is built fully on JS and on bl to simplify the code. Every improvement that keeps the same API is welcome.

Acknowledgements

This project was kindly sponsored by nearForm.

This library was originally built as the data format for JSChan.

License

MIT