A msgpack v5 implementation for node.js, with extension points / msgpack.org[Node]
JavaScript
503
225 commits
updated Sep 26, 2026
A msgpack v5 implementation for node.js and the browser, with extension point support.
npm install msgpack5 --save
var msgpack = require('msgpack5')() // namespace our extensions
, a = new MyType(2, 'a')
, encode = msgpack.encode
, decode = msgpack.decode
msgpack.register(0x42, MyType, mytipeEncode, mytipeDecode)
const hex = encode({ 'hello': 'world' }).toString('hex')
console.log(hex)
// 81a568656c6c6fa5776f726c64
const obj = decode(Buffer.from(hex, 'hex'))
console.log(obj)
// { hello: 'world' }
console.log(decode(encode({ 'hello': 'world' })))
// { hello: 'world' }
console.log(encode(a).toString('hex'))
// d5426161
console.log(decode(encode(a)) instanceof MyType)
// true
console.log(decode(encode(a)))
// { value: 'a', size: 2 }
function MyType(size, value) {
this.value = value
this.size = size
}
function mytipeEncode(obj) {
var buf = new Buffer(obj.size)
buf.fill(obj.value)
return buf
}
function mytipeDecode(data) {
var result = new MyType(data.length, data.toString('utf8', 0, 1))
, i
for (i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
if (data.readUInt8(0) != data.readUInt8(i)) {
throw new Error('should all be the same')
}
}
return result
}
This library is compatible with Browserify.
If you want to use standalone, grab the file in the dist folder of
this repo, and use in your own HTML page, the module will expose a
msgpack5 global.
<script type="text/javascript"
src="./msgpack5.min.js">
</script>
npm run build
msgpack()msgpack().encode()msgpack().decode()msgpack().registerEncoder()msgpack().registerDecoder()msgpack().register()msgpack().encoder()msgpack().decoder()Creates a new instance on which you can register new types for being encoded.
options:
forceFloat64, a boolean to that forces all floats to be encoded as 64-bits floats. Defaults to false.sortKeys, a boolean to force a determinate keys ordercompatibilityMode, a boolean that enables "compatibility mode" which doesn't use bin format family and str 8 format. Defaults to false.disableTimestampEncoding, a boolean that when set disables the encoding of Dates into the timestamp extension type. Defaults to false.preferMap, a boolean that forces all maps to be decoded to Maps rather than plain objects. This ensures that decode(encode(new Map())) instanceof Map and that iteration order is preserved. Defaults to false.maxArrayLength, a non-negative integer that limits the number of elements in a decoded array. Arrays over the limit throw a RangeError. Defaults to no limit beyond the MessagePack format maximum.maxMapLength, a non-negative integer that limits the number of entries in a decoded map. Maps over the limit throw a RangeError. Defaults to no limit beyond the MessagePack format maximum.maxDepth, a non-negative integer that limits how deeply arrays and maps can be nested when decoding. Defaults to 100.protoAction, a string which can be error|ignore|remove that determines what happens when decoding a plain object with a __proto__ property which would cause prototype poisoning. error (the default when omitted) throws an error, remove removes the property, ignore (not recommended) allows the property, thereby causing prototype poisoning on the decoded object. Any other value throws a TypeError.Encodes object in msgpack, returns a bl.
Decodes buf from in msgpack. buf can be a Buffer or a bl instance.
In order to support a stream interface, a user must pass in a bl instance.
Register a new custom object type for being automatically encoded. The arguments are:
check, a function that will be called to check if the passed
object should be encoded with the encode functionencode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary
form; this function must return a Buffer which include the same type
for registerDecoder.Register a new custom object type for being automatically decoded. The arguments are:
type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serializeddecode, a function that will be called to decode the object from
the passed BufferRegister a new custom object type for being automatically encoded and decoded. The arguments are:
type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serializedconstructor, the function that will be used to match the objects
with instanceofencode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary
form; this function must return a Buffer that can be
deserialized by the decode functiondecode, a function that will be called to decode the object from
the passed BufferThis is just a commodity that calls
registerEncoder and
registerDecoder internally.
Builds a stream in object mode that encodes msgpack.
Supported options:
wrap, objects should be passed to encoder in wrapped object {value: data}. Wrap option should be used if you need to pass null to encoder.Builds a stream in object mode that decodes msgpack.
Supported options:
wrap, decoded objects returned in wrapped object {value: data}. Wrap option should be used if stream contains msgpack nil.msgpack5 can be used as a LevelUp
valueEncoding straight away:
var level = require('level')
, pack = msgpack()
, db = level('foo', {
valueEncoding: pack
})
, obj = { my: 'obj' }
db.put('hello', obj, function(err) {
db.get('hello', function(err, result) {
console.log(result)
db.close()
})
})
This library is built fully on JS and on bl to simplify the code. Every improvement that keeps the same API is welcome.
This project was kindly sponsored by nearForm.
This library was originally built as the data format for JSChan.
MIT
Overall
Maintained
Code review
npm
Latest release
Releases this year
1,081 followers · starred Jul 2015
174 followers · starred Jul 2017
133 followers · starred Sep 2022
228 followers · starred Sep 2015
A msgpack v5 implementation for node.js, with extension points / msgpack.org[Node]
JavaScript
503
225 commits
updated Sep 26, 2026
A msgpack v5 implementation for node.js and the browser, with extension point support.
npm install msgpack5 --save
var msgpack = require('msgpack5')() // namespace our extensions
, a = new MyType(2, 'a')
, encode = msgpack.encode
, decode = msgpack.decode
msgpack.register(0x42, MyType, mytipeEncode, mytipeDecode)
const hex = encode({ 'hello': 'world' }).toString('hex')
console.log(hex)
// 81a568656c6c6fa5776f726c64
const obj = decode(Buffer.from(hex, 'hex'))
console.log(obj)
// { hello: 'world' }
console.log(decode(encode({ 'hello': 'world' })))
// { hello: 'world' }
console.log(encode(a).toString('hex'))
// d5426161
console.log(decode(encode(a)) instanceof MyType)
// true
console.log(decode(encode(a)))
// { value: 'a', size: 2 }
function MyType(size, value) {
this.value = value
this.size = size
}
function mytipeEncode(obj) {
var buf = new Buffer(obj.size)
buf.fill(obj.value)
return buf
}
function mytipeDecode(data) {
var result = new MyType(data.length, data.toString('utf8', 0, 1))
, i
for (i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
if (data.readUInt8(0) != data.readUInt8(i)) {
throw new Error('should all be the same')
}
}
return result
}
This library is compatible with Browserify.
If you want to use standalone, grab the file in the dist folder of
this repo, and use in your own HTML page, the module will expose a
msgpack5 global.
<script type="text/javascript"
src="./msgpack5.min.js">
</script>
npm run build
msgpack()msgpack().encode()msgpack().decode()msgpack().registerEncoder()msgpack().registerDecoder()msgpack().register()msgpack().encoder()msgpack().decoder()Creates a new instance on which you can register new types for being encoded.
options:
forceFloat64, a boolean to that forces all floats to be encoded as 64-bits floats. Defaults to false.sortKeys, a boolean to force a determinate keys ordercompatibilityMode, a boolean that enables "compatibility mode" which doesn't use bin format family and str 8 format. Defaults to false.disableTimestampEncoding, a boolean that when set disables the encoding of Dates into the timestamp extension type. Defaults to false.preferMap, a boolean that forces all maps to be decoded to Maps rather than plain objects. This ensures that decode(encode(new Map())) instanceof Map and that iteration order is preserved. Defaults to false.maxArrayLength, a non-negative integer that limits the number of elements in a decoded array. Arrays over the limit throw a RangeError. Defaults to no limit beyond the MessagePack format maximum.maxMapLength, a non-negative integer that limits the number of entries in a decoded map. Maps over the limit throw a RangeError. Defaults to no limit beyond the MessagePack format maximum.maxDepth, a non-negative integer that limits how deeply arrays and maps can be nested when decoding. Defaults to 100.protoAction, a string which can be error|ignore|remove that determines what happens when decoding a plain object with a __proto__ property which would cause prototype poisoning. error (the default when omitted) throws an error, remove removes the property, ignore (not recommended) allows the property, thereby causing prototype poisoning on the decoded object. Any other value throws a TypeError.Encodes object in msgpack, returns a bl.
Decodes buf from in msgpack. buf can be a Buffer or a bl instance.
In order to support a stream interface, a user must pass in a bl instance.
Register a new custom object type for being automatically encoded. The arguments are:
check, a function that will be called to check if the passed
object should be encoded with the encode functionencode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary
form; this function must return a Buffer which include the same type
for registerDecoder.Register a new custom object type for being automatically decoded. The arguments are:
type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serializeddecode, a function that will be called to decode the object from
the passed BufferRegister a new custom object type for being automatically encoded and decoded. The arguments are:
type, is a greater than zero integer identificating the type once serializedconstructor, the function that will be used to match the objects
with instanceofencode, a function that will be called to encode an object in binary
form; this function must return a Buffer that can be
deserialized by the decode functiondecode, a function that will be called to decode the object from
the passed BufferThis is just a commodity that calls
registerEncoder and
registerDecoder internally.
Builds a stream in object mode that encodes msgpack.
Supported options:
wrap, objects should be passed to encoder in wrapped object {value: data}. Wrap option should be used if you need to pass null to encoder.Builds a stream in object mode that decodes msgpack.
Supported options:
wrap, decoded objects returned in wrapped object {value: data}. Wrap option should be used if stream contains msgpack nil.msgpack5 can be used as a LevelUp
valueEncoding straight away:
var level = require('level')
, pack = msgpack()
, db = level('foo', {
valueEncoding: pack
})
, obj = { my: 'obj' }
db.put('hello', obj, function(err) {
db.get('hello', function(err, result) {
console.log(result)
db.close()
})
})
This library is built fully on JS and on bl to simplify the code. Every improvement that keeps the same API is welcome.
This project was kindly sponsored by nearForm.
This library was originally built as the data format for JSChan.
MIT
Overall
Maintained
Code review
npm
Latest release
Releases this year
1,081 followers · starred Jul 2015
174 followers · starred Jul 2017
133 followers · starred Sep 2022
228 followers · starred Sep 2015