protobuf-c/README.md

[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/protobuf-c/protobuf-c.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/protobuf-c/protobuf-c)

## Overview

This is `protobuf-c`, a C implementation of [Google Protocol Buffers](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/). It includes `libprotobuf-c`, a pure C library that implements protobuf encoding and decoding, and `protoc-c`, a code generator that converts Protocol Buffer `.proto` files to C descriptor code, based on the original `protoc`. It also includes `libprotobuf-c-rpc`, a separate library for performing RPC with Protocol Buffers.

`protobuf-c` was originally maintained by Dave Benson through version 0.15 but is now being maintained by a new team. Thanks, Dave!

## Building

`protobuf-c` requires a C compiler, a C++ compiler, [Google Protocol Buffers](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/), and `pkg-config` to be installed.

    ./configure && make && make install

If building from a git checkout, the `autotools` (`autoconf`, `automake`, `libtool`) must also be installed, and the build system must be generated by running the `autogen.sh` script.

    ./autogen.sh && ./configure && make && make install

The `libprotobuf-c-rpc` library is included in the source distribution but is not built by default. Add `--enable-rpc` to the `configure` command to enable this library.

## Synopsis

Include the `protobuf-c` header file:

    #include <protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h>

Link against the `protobuf-c` library.

    -lprotobuf-c

`libprotobuf-c` includes a `pkg-config` file. It is recommended to use the `pkg-config` system in order to determine the complete set of compiler and linker flags for building applications that utilize `libprotobuf-c`. If using `pkg-config` with `autoconf`, the `PKG_CHECK_MODULES` macro can be used to detect the presence of `libprotobuf-c`:

    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([PROTOBUF_C], [libprotobuf-c])

This will place compiler flags in the `PROTOBUF_C_CFLAGS` variable and linker flags in the `PROTOBUF_C_LDFLAGS` variable.

(Note that the `protobuf-c` header file used to be installed as `google/protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h` in previous versions.)

## Contributing

Please send patches to the [protobuf-c mailing list](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/protobuf-c) or by opening a GitHub pull request.

Copyright to all contributions are retained by the original author, but must be licensed under the terms of the [BSD-2-Clause](http://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause) license. Please add a `Signed-off-by` header to your commit message (`git commit -s`) to indicate that you are licensing your contribution under these terms.
README.md: expand the overview, and add a brief build/usage synopsis 2013-11-18 18:14:46 -05:00			`[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/protobuf-c/protobuf-c.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/protobuf-c/protobuf-c)`

Add a README 2013-11-18 00:12:57 -08:00			`## Overview`

README.md: expand the overview, and add a brief build/usage synopsis 2013-11-18 18:14:46 -05:00			This is `protobuf-c`, a C implementation of [Google Protocol Buffers](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/). It includes `libprotobuf-c`, a pure C library that implements protobuf encoding and decoding, and `protoc-c`, a code generator that converts Protocol Buffer `.proto` files to C descriptor code, based on the original `protoc`. It also includes `libprotobuf-c-rpc`, a separate library for performing RPC with Protocol Buffers.
Add a README 2013-11-18 00:12:57 -08:00
README.md: expand the overview, and add a brief build/usage synopsis 2013-11-18 18:14:46 -05:00			`protobuf-c` was originally maintained by Dave Benson through version 0.15 but is now being maintained by a new team. Thanks, Dave!
Add a README 2013-11-18 00:12:57 -08:00
README.md: expand the overview, and add a brief build/usage synopsis 2013-11-18 18:14:46 -05:00			`## Building`
Add a README 2013-11-18 00:12:57 -08:00
README.md: expand the overview, and add a brief build/usage synopsis 2013-11-18 18:14:46 -05:00			`protobuf-c` requires a C compiler, a C++ compiler, [Google Protocol Buffers](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/), and `pkg-config` to be installed.

			`./configure && make && make install`

			If building from a git checkout, the `autotools` (`autoconf`, `automake`, `libtool`) must also be installed, and the build system must be generated by running the `autogen.sh` script.

			`./autogen.sh && ./configure && make && make install`

			The `libprotobuf-c-rpc` library is included in the source distribution but is not built by default. Add `--enable-rpc` to the `configure` command to enable this library.

			`## Synopsis`

			Include the `protobuf-c` header file:

			`#include <protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h>`

			Link against the `protobuf-c` library.

			`-lprotobuf-c`

			`libprotobuf-c` includes a `pkg-config` file. It is recommended to use the `pkg-config` system in order to determine the complete set of compiler and linker flags for building applications that utilize `libprotobuf-c`. If using `pkg-config` with `autoconf`, the `PKG_CHECK_MODULES` macro can be used to detect the presence of `libprotobuf-c`:

			`PKG_CHECK_MODULES([PROTOBUF_C], [libprotobuf-c])`

			This will place compiler flags in the `PROTOBUF_C_CFLAGS` variable and linker flags in the `PROTOBUF_C_LDFLAGS` variable.

			(Note that the `protobuf-c` header file used to be installed as `google/protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h` in previous versions.)
README.md: add a section on contributing patches 2013-11-18 20:41:22 -05:00
			`## Contributing`

			`Please send patches to the [protobuf-c mailing list](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/protobuf-c) or by opening a GitHub pull request.`

			Copyright to all contributions are retained by the original author, but must be licensed under the terms of the [BSD-2-Clause](http://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause) license. Please add a `Signed-off-by` header to your commit message (`git commit -s`) to indicate that you are licensing your contribution under these terms.