capnp
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Description:
Data interchange format and capability-based RPC system
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 1.2.0@0  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: rpc serialization protocol capnproto data-format performance
Install: brew install capnp
About:
Cap'n Proto is a fast data interchange format and capability-based RPC system. It allows you to define data structures in a schema language, which generates efficient code for multiple languages. Its key advantage is zero-copy data access, enabling extremely high performance for serialization and inter-process communication.
Key Features:
  • Zero-copy data access for extreme performance
  • Capability-based security model for RPC
  • Multi-language code generation (C++, Rust, Go, etc.)
  • Efficient binary serialization format
  • In-place object traversal without parsing
Use Cases:
  • High-performance microservices communication
  • Efficient data serialization for storage or transmission
  • Inter-process communication (IPC) in system software
  • Real-time data streaming applications
Alternatives:
  • Protocol Buffers – Similar serialization format but requires parsing/deserialization, making it slower than Cap'n Proto's zero-copy approach.
  • Apache Thrift – Multi-language RPC framework with similar goals, but Cap'n Proto emphasizes zero-copy and capability-based security more strongly.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 10, 2025 5:12pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 1b86312b
Dec 21, 2024 11:51pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 35df553d