brew / rank 59

Install protobuf with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, apt, scoop, winget, zypper, chocolatey

Protocol buffers (Google's data interchange format). Version 36.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-19. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install elpa-protobuf-mode.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install protobuf

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install protobuf

MacPorts ports tree · devel/protobuf/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add protobuf

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · protobuf · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install protobuf

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · protobuf · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#protobuf

nixpkgs package indexes · protobuf · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S protobuf

Arch Linux sync databases · protobuf · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install elpa-protobuf-mode

Debian stable package indexes · elpa-protobuf-mode · source: deb.debian.org

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install libprotobuf-lite34_2_0

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libprotobuf-lite34_2_0 · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install extras/protobuf

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/protobuf.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id Google.Protobuf -e

Windows Package Manager source index · Google.Protobuf · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install protoc

Chocolatey community package catalog · protoc · source: community.chocolatey.org

overview

Package summary

Protocol buffers (Google's data interchange format)

Project links

Commands and aliases

protoc
protoc-36.0.0
protoc-gen-upb
protoc-gen-upb-36.0.0
protoc-gen-upb_minitable
protoc-gen-upb_minitable-36.0.0
protoc-gen-upbdefs
protoc-gen-upbdefs-36.0.0

history

Project history and usage

Protocol Buffers is Google's language-neutral, platform-neutral schema language, binary serialization format, compiler, and set of generated-code runtimes.

Project history

Google began developing the first internal Protocol Buffers implementation, later called Proto1, in early 2001. As it accumulated features and internal dependencies, the team concluded it was unsuitable for public release.

Proto2 was a clean rewrite preserving much of the earlier design while removing dependencies on closed Google libraries. It was released as open source in 2008.

Proto3 arrived in 2016 with a simplified language model and broader cross-language use. Editions were introduced later to replace coarse language-version transitions with granular feature selection while preserving compatibility.

Adoption history

Protocol Buffers became Google's most commonly used structured-data format and is used extensively for inter-server communication and durable storage. Google open-sourced the technology in 2008 so external projects and public APIs could use the same format.

The ecosystem extends far beyond the compiler and core runtimes: RPC systems such as gRPC use `.proto` schemas for service definitions, while tools such as Buf add schema linting, compatibility checks, dependency management, and generation workflows.

How it is used

Define messages and, optionally, services in `.proto` files. Run `protoc` with the desired language generators or plugins during the build, then use the generated APIs and language runtime to construct, serialize, parse, and evolve messages.

Preserve field numbers and follow the documented schema-evolution rules because serialized data and independently deployed producers and consumers may remain in use for long periods.

Protocol Buffers has no application-wide user configuration or credential file; project behavior is expressed through schema files, compiler flags, build-system rules, and plugin-specific configuration.

Why package nerds care

Protocol Buffers is both a wire format and a schema-driven code-generation ecosystem. Package enthusiasts care about `protoc`, its language runtimes and plugin protocol, cross-language compatibility guarantees, compact encoding, and the discipline required to evolve field numbers and types safely.

It is a foundational package rather than merely a standalone CLI: many builds install it to compile schemas into native source code, and mismatches between compilers, runtimes, generated code, and plugins are an important part of dependency management.

Timeline

2001: Development of the internal Proto1 implementation began.
2008: The rewritten Proto2 implementation was released as open source.
2016: Proto3 was released.
2023: Protobuf Editions were introduced to provide granular feature evolution.

Related projects

gRPC uses Protocol Buffers by default as its interface-definition and message format, invoking `protoc` with language-specific gRPC plugins.
Buf builds a broader Protobuf development workflow around `.proto` files, including formatting, linting, breaking-change detection, dependency management, and code generation.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 5 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`protoc`	cli	global executable
`protoc-36.0.0`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upb`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upb-36.0.0`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upb_minitable`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upb_minitable-36.0.0`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upbdefs`	cli	global executable
`protoc-gen-upbdefs-36.0.0`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-11-04

manager version36.2

manager updated2026-09-19

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobufnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:protobuf
Version	36.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/protobuf
Homepage	https://protobuf.dev/
Repository	https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf
Upstream docs	https://protobuf.dev/
License	BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v36.2/protobuf-36.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-09-19T13:36:13Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	abseil
Build dependencies	cmake
Bottle	available (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_tahoe, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	protobuf
Aliases	protobuf@36
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

elpa-protobuf-mode 3.21.12-11+deb13u1

Emacs addon for editing protocol buffers