Protocolparse

Protocolparse is a software toolkit designed to parse and analyze network protocol messages. It provides a framework for describing protocol formats and decoding binary and text-based traffic into structured data. By separating protocol description from the decoding logic, protocolparse aims to help developers build robust, reusable decoders for both existing and new protocols.

The core of protocolparse is a parser engine that can drive decoders from formal protocol schemas. The schema language allows describing message layouts with fields, bit-level lengths, conditional branches, and repeating structures. A streaming parser supports incremental input and precise error reporting, while a plugin system enables adding support for new protocols without modifying the core engine. Additional tooling covers test data generation, fuzzing, and validation against reference traces.

Outputs are structured representations of messages, including field names, types, and hierarchical structure, which can be exported to standard formats such as JSON or used directly within analysis pipelines. The toolkit emphasizes portability, with bindings or implementations in multiple programming languages and compatibility with common capture formats.

Applications include network traffic analysis, intrusion detection systems, protocol conformance testing, and research into protocol behavior. It is suitable for building custom decoders for traffic captures, log analysis, and automation workflows that require interpretable protocol data.

Status and availability: protocolparse refers to a family of related projects rather than a single canonical package. Various open-source and commercial implementations exist, typically released under permissive licenses and designed for integration into existing analysis stacks.