EXBar

Exbar is a cross-language data interchange framework designed to enable efficient data sharing between services implemented in different programming languages. The framework provides a compact binary serialization format, a streaming protocol, and a set of language bindings that allow zero-copy data transfer and schema evolution. It was developed by the Exbar Consortium, formed in 2012 by academics and industry engineers, with the first public release in 2015.

Architecture centers on Expack serialization and Exstream streaming protocol, supporting sparse and dense data, optional fields, and versioned schemas. The Core library offers bindings for C++, Java, Python, and Go, with code generators and runtime validation. Exbar emphasizes performance and interoperability for microservices and real-time analytics, and includes schema evolution tools and basic security features.

History notes major releases: 1.0 (2015), 2.0 (2018) with streaming improvements, and 3.0 (2021) with enhanced binding generation and metadata. It is distributed as open-source under a permissive license, with an active community.

Reception has highlighted strong performance and cross-language compatibility, while critiques focus on the learning curve and integration with established formats like Protobuf and Avro. Proponents argue Exbar addresses multi-language data pipelines by providing consistent schemas and zero-copy semantics.

See also data serialization, binary formats, and inter-service communication.