Question 1

How do I serialize a Go struct with binpacker?

Accepted Answer

You need to manually call packing/unpacking methods for each struct field, as binpacker doesn't support struct tags or automatic mapping. For example, iterate over fields and use `PushUint32` for integers, then handle errors centrally.

Question 2

binpacker vs Go's encoding/binary package – which should I use?

Accepted Answer

Use binpacker if you prefer a fluent API with method chaining and centralized error handling for simpler code. Stick with encoding/binary directly for fine-grained control or when avoiding extra dependencies, as binpacker is a lightweight wrapper around it.

Question 3

Does binpacker support variable-length integers or strings?

Accepted Answer

It supports byte slices via `PushBytes`, but for variable-length integers or strings, you must implement length prefixes manually. The library focuses on fixed-size types, so additional logic is needed for dynamic data.

Question 4

How to handle errors in chained binpacker calls?

Accepted Answer

Use the `Error()` method after chaining operations to check for any errors, as shown in the README. This consolidates error handling instead of checking after each method call, but errors must be managed before proceeding.

Question 5

Is binpacker thread-safe for concurrent use?

Accepted Answer

No, binpacker is not thread-safe by default, as it operates on shared bytes.Buffer objects. You need to synchronize access or use separate instances per goroutine to avoid data races in concurrent applications.

Question 6

Can I use binpacker for binary network protocols in Go?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's well-suited for implementing custom binary protocols due to its endianness support and buffer integration. Pair it with Go's net package to pack/unpack data streams, but handle framing and message boundaries separately.

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