# Protobuf to JSON

## Description

This operation converts events in [Protobuf (Protocol Buffers)](https://protobuf.dev/) format into JSON. Protocol Buffers is a language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible mechanism for serializing structured data. It's similar to JSON, but smaller and faster.

***

## Data types

These are the input/output expected data types for this operation:

### Input data

![](https://965373739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkxZeV4nlXcIAjMGZxzLI%2Fuploads%2FZmr35bwgundYfOW63E3q%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=2ba8baff-b40b-4dd4-ae2c-2a2ad5696788) - Protobuf-formatted strings you want to transform into JSON. **These must be encoded in Base64 format**. You can use the [To Base64](https://docs.onum.com/the-workspace/pipelines/actions/transformation/field-transformation/field-transformation-operations/data-format/to-base64) operation to transform your input strings.

### Output data <a href="#output-data" id="output-data"></a>

![](https://965373739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkxZeV4nlXcIAjMGZxzLI%2Fuploads%2FRDngsaxu99O216cFqn81%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=53e171be-7591-4c56-acdb-4e8e8646241d) - Resulting JSON-formatted strings.

***

## Parameters

These are the parameters you need to configure to use this operation (mandatory parameters are marked with a <mark style="color:red;">**\***</mark>):

<details>

<summary>Proto file<mark style="color:red;"><strong>*</strong></mark></summary>

The proto file is the file that defines the message structure of the data you want to transform into JSON. Note that these must be formatted in Base64 or as plain text. You can use the [To Base64](https://docs.onum.com/the-workspace/pipelines/actions/transformation/field-transformation/field-transformation-operations/data-format/to-base64) operation to transform your input strings.

A common proto file has this structure:

```protobuf
syntax = "proto3";

message User {
  string username = 1;
  int32 age = 2;
}
```

</details>

<details>

<summary>Message type<mark style="color:red;"><strong>*</strong></mark></summary>

Enter the specific part of the message in the proto file that you want to transform into JSON format.

For example, in this proto file:

```protobuf
syntax = "proto3";

package company;

message Employee {
  int32 id = 1;
  string name = 2;
  string role = 3;
}

message Department {
  string name = 1;
  repeated Employee employees = 2;
}
```

Enter `Employee` or `Department` to extract one of the messages.

</details>

## Example

Suppose you want to **transform** your **Protobuf files** into **JSON**. To do it:

1. In your Pipeline, open the required [Action](https://docs.onum.com/the-workspace/pipelines/actions) configuration and select the input **Field**.
2. In the **Operation** field, choose **Protobuf to JSON**.
3. In the **Proto schema** field, enter `syntax = "proto3"; message ExampleMessage { int32 id = 1; string name = 2; }`
4. In the **Message type** field, enter `ExampleMessage`
5. Give your **Output field** a name and click **Save**. Your Protobuf files will be transformed. For example:

```
CAESA2Zvbw== -> { "id": 1, "name": "foo" }
```

{% hint style="info" %}
You can try out operations with specific values using the **Input** field above the operation. You can enter the value in the example above and check the result in the **Output** field.
{% endhint %}


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