Question 1

How do I generate Elixir code from .proto files using Protox?

Accepted Answer

You can use the mix task `protox.generate` with options like --output-path, or inline the schema with the `Protox` macro in a module. For example, run `mix protox.generate --output-path=./lib/messages.ex protos/*.proto` to generate source files that compile independently.

Question 2

Protox vs exprotobuf: which should I use for my Elixir project?

Accepted Answer

Protox is preferred for production systems requiring strict spec conformance and reliability, as it passes Google's tests and has extensive property testing. exprotobuf might be simpler for basic use but lacks Protox's comprehensive feature set and unknown field support.

Question 3

Does Protox support proto3's optional keyword?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Protox fully supports the optional keyword in proto3, assigning nil to unset optional fields while non-optional fields get default values like 0 for integers, as explained in the implementation choices section.

Question 4

What's the performance like for encoding and decoding with Protox?

Accepted Answer

Protox is optimized for efficiency, returning iodata to reduce memory copies during encoding. Benchmarks are available in the documentation, showing it handles binary serialization competitively for Elixir applications.

Question 5

How can I handle unknown fields in Protox to maintain forward compatibility?

Accepted Answer

Unknown fields are automatically preserved during decoding and accessible via the generated `unknown_fields/1` function, which returns a list of {tag, wire_type, bytes}. They are re-encoded when the message is serialized, ensuring no data loss.

Question 6

Can I use Protox without having protoc installed on my system?

Accepted Answer

No, protoc is required at compile-time for schema parsing and code generation. However, once the Elixir code is generated, protoc is not needed for runtime operations, making it a build-time only dependency.

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