CBORencoded

CBORencoded refers to data that has been serialized using the Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR). CBOR is a binary data serialization format designed for small message size and fast parsing on constrained devices. It was standardized by the IETF as CBOR and is often used as an alternative to JSON when compactness and efficiency matter. CBORencoded payloads can represent simple scalars (numbers, strings, booleans, null) as well as complex structures like arrays and maps, with support for additional data types via tagged values.

Structure and encoding rules: CBOR uses major types to encode values in a compact binary form. Integers, byte strings, and text strings are encoded efficiently; maps and arrays are length-prefixed; floating point numbers are supported; indefinite-length items allow streaming. Tags provide a mechanism for semantic annotation (for example, dates or specialized encodings). Canonical CBOR is a restricted form that orders keys and uses deterministic encodings to support content hashing and digital signatures.

Usage and interoperability: CBORencoded data is common in IoT, embedded systems, and real-time messaging, where bandwidth or power constraints exist. It is used by protocols and formats such as COSE (CBOR Object Signing and Encryption) and CTAP (for security keys), as well as in REST or RPC systems through the application/cbor media type. A wide range of programming languages provide libraries for encoding and decoding CBOR.

Considerations: While CBOR is compact and fast, it is not human-readable like JSON. When determinism is required, canonical CBOR should be used. Some JSON-like data may expand or contract in CBOR depending on key lengths and data types. Proper libraries and validation are important to ensure interoperability.