| --- |
| layout: post |
| title: Cap'n Proto Beta Release |
| author: kentonv |
| --- |
| |
| It's been nearly three months since Cap'n Proto was originally announced, and by now you're |
| probably wondering what I've been up to. The answer is basically |
| [non-stop coding](https://github.com/kentonv/capnproto/commits/master). Features were implemented, |
| code was refactored, tests were written, and now Cap'n Proto is beginning to resemble something |
| like a real product. But as is so often the case with me, I've been so engrossed in coding that I |
| forgot to post updates! |
| |
| Well, that changes today, with the first official release of Cap'n Proto, v0.1. While not yet |
| "done", this release should be usable for Real Work. Feature-wise, for C++, the library is roughly |
| on par with [Google's Protocol Buffers](http://protobuf.googlecode.com) (which, as you know, I used |
| to maintain). Features include: |
| |
| * Types: numbers, bytes, text, enums, lists, structs, and unions. |
| * Code generation from schema definition files. |
| * Reading from and writing to file descriptors (or other streams). |
| * Text-format output (e.g. for debugging). |
| * Reflection, for writing generic code that dynamically walks over message contents. |
| * Dynamic schema loading (to manipulate types not known at compile time). |
| * Code generator plugins for extending the compiler to support new languages. |
| * Tested on Linux and Mac OSX with GCC and Clang. |
| |
| Notably missing from this list is RPC (something Protocol Buffers never provided either). The RPC |
| system is still in the design phase, but will be implemented over the coming weeks. |
| |
| Also missing is support for languages other than C++. However, I'm happy to report that a number |
| of awesome contributors have stepped up and are working on |
| [implementations in C, Go, Python]({{ site.baseurl }}otherlang.html), and a few others not yet |
| announced. None of these are "ready" just yet, but watch this space. (Would you like to work on |
| an implementation in your favorite language? |
| [Let us know!](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto)) |
| |
| Going forward, Cap'n Proto releases will occur more frequently, perhaps every 2-4 weeks. |
| Consider [signing up for release announcements](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto-announce). |
| |
| In any case, go [download the release]({{ site.baseurl }}install.html) and |
| [tell us your thoughts](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto). |
