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1 ---
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2 layout: post
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3 title: Cap'n Proto Beta Release
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4 author: kentonv
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5 ---
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6
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7 It's been nearly three months since Cap'n Proto was originally announced, and by now you're
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8 probably wondering what I've been up to. The answer is basically
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9 [non-stop coding](https://github.com/kentonv/capnproto/commits/master). Features were implemented,
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10 code was refactored, tests were written, and now Cap'n Proto is beginning to resemble something
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11 like a real product. But as is so often the case with me, I've been so engrossed in coding that I
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12 forgot to post updates!
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13
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14 Well, that changes today, with the first official release of Cap'n Proto, v0.1. While not yet
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15 "done", this release should be usable for Real Work. Feature-wise, for C++, the library is roughly
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16 on par with [Google's Protocol Buffers](http://protobuf.googlecode.com) (which, as you know, I used
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17 to maintain). Features include:
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18
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19 * Types: numbers, bytes, text, enums, lists, structs, and unions.
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20 * Code generation from schema definition files.
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21 * Reading from and writing to file descriptors (or other streams).
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22 * Text-format output (e.g. for debugging).
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23 * Reflection, for writing generic code that dynamically walks over message contents.
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24 * Dynamic schema loading (to manipulate types not known at compile time).
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25 * Code generator plugins for extending the compiler to support new languages.
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26 * Tested on Linux and Mac OSX with GCC and Clang.
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27
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28 Notably missing from this list is RPC (something Protocol Buffers never provided either). The RPC
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29 system is still in the design phase, but will be implemented over the coming weeks.
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30
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31 Also missing is support for languages other than C++. However, I'm happy to report that a number
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32 of awesome contributors have stepped up and are working on
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33 [implementations in C, Go, Python]({{ site.baseurl }}otherlang.html), and a few others not yet
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34 announced. None of these are "ready" just yet, but watch this space. (Would you like to work on
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35 an implementation in your favorite language?
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36 [Let us know!](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto))
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37
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38 Going forward, Cap'n Proto releases will occur more frequently, perhaps every 2-4 weeks.
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39 Consider [signing up for release announcements](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto-announce).
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40
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41 In any case, go [download the release]({{ site.baseurl }}install.html) and
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42 [tell us your thoughts](https://groups.google.com/group/capnproto).
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