FlatBuffer

FlatBuffers is an open-source, cross-platform serialization library developed by Google. Its primary goal is to provide a highly efficient method for data serialization and deserialization, particularly in performance-critical applications like game development and network communication. Unlike traditional serialization formats that might require parsing and in-memory object creation, FlatBuffers allows direct access to serialized data without any unpacking or intermediate representation. This "zero-copy" approach significantly reduces memory overhead and latency, making it faster than many other serialization solutions.

The core concept behind FlatBuffers is a schema-driven data structure. Developers define the structure of their data in a `.fbs` file, which is then used by the FlatBuffers compiler to generate code in various programming languages. This generated code allows for easy creation and access of data. Data is serialized into a flat binary buffer, which can be directly accessed by multiple processes or threads without the need for copying or parsing. This makes it ideal for scenarios where data needs to be shared efficiently between different parts of an application or across a network. FlatBuffers supports a wide range of data types and offers features like extensibility and versioning, making it a flexible choice for various data serialization needs.