pbtools
Google Protocol Buffers tools.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The project is dormant with last release on 2023-06-04 and no commits since 2024-04-06, combined with high install friction. Unless you are maintaining legacy code already using pbtools 0.47.0, prefer actively maintained alternatives.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.6+.
- Generated C code requires a C compiler and workspace memory management; char must be 8 bits.
- High install friction due to source distribution format.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions, provided you retain the license notice.
last release 2023-06-04 (1167 days) · last repo commit 2024-04-06 · 82 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 227,970 downloads/mo, #9,160 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pbtools
pbtools generate_c_source examples/hello_world/hello_world.proto- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions beyond 3.6.
- Current status of known limitations (options, services/gRPC, reserved fields, public imports) and whether they affect typical use cases.
- Whether high install friction (source distribution) causes build failures on common platforms.
What it is and what it does
pbtools is a Python tool that generates C source code from Protocol Buffer proto3 specifications and includes a proto3 language parser. It targets embedded and performance-sensitive C applications, generating code designed around arena-based memory allocation (no malloc/free), thread safety, and small memory footprint. The tool outputs C structs and encode/decode functions for each protobuf message.
The generated C code is intended for scenarios where you need fast, lightweight protobuf serialization without dynamic memory management. You provide a proto3 file, run the code generator, and get C header and source files ready to compile into your application. Known limitations include lack of support for options, gRPC services, reserved fields, and public imports.
Use it for
- Generate C protobuf serialization code for embedded systems or microcontrollers with tight memory constraints.
- Build command-line tools or utilities that need to parse and validate proto3 definitions at development time.
- Create C libraries that encode/decode protobuf messages using arena-based memory for predictable performance.
- Integrate protobuf messaging into C applications where dynamic allocation must be avoided or minimized.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The project is dormant with last release on 2023-06-04 and no commits since 2024-04-06, combined with high install friction. Unless you are maintaining legacy code already using pbtools 0.47.0, prefer actively maintained alternatives.
Install
pbtools on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction due to source distribution format. Project is dormant—last release was 2023-06-04, with no commits since 2024-04-06. No active maintenance signal.
Requires Python 3.6+. Generated C code requires a C compiler and workspace memory management; char must be 8 bits.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions, provided you retain the license notice.
Quickstart
pip install pbtools
pbtools generate_c_source examples/hello_world/hello_world.protoVerify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions beyond 3.6.
- Current status of known limitations (options, services/gRPC, reserved fields, public imports) and whether they affect typical use cases.
- Whether high install friction (source distribution) causes build failures on common platforms.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 1,167 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 227,970 / month, #9,160 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: pbtools-0.47.0.tar.gz
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See also proto-plus · nanopb · proto-schema-parser · bbpb · protoc-gen-openapiv2 · dbt-protos · aristaproto · discord-protos · protoc-wheel-0