A CLI tool for working with Protocol Buffers with a linter, breaking change detector, a generator, a formatter and integration with the Buf Schema Registry.
Publisher’s description
What is Buf?
Buf by bufbuild is open-source Windows software. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.75.0, released on October 22, 2026. The version history goes back to June 17, 2025: 21 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 16 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (bufbuild/buf) has 11,499 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “The best way of working with Protocol Buffers.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 16 a year)
- Large user base
In short: Buf is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is Buf safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
3D580339622823A2EA48EC1F0A401B8C5686144EF51F88D19CE17AF7C54588FC· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the bufbuild/buf repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Code review10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared10
- Published packages10
- Signed releases8
- Static code analysis7
- No dangerous workflows0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Security policy0
- Pinned dependencies0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 21 versions ›21 versions over 1 year · about 16 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.75.0Latest | October 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 1.74.0 | October 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 1.73.0 | September 11, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.72.0 | July 17, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.71.0 | June 16, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 1.70.0 | May 25, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.69.0 | April 29, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.68.4 | April 22, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id bufbuild.buf -escoop install main/bufRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install bufInformation
- Publisher
- bufbuild
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/bufbuild/buf
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.75.0
- Released
- October 22, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- July 18, 2025
- Versions listed
- 21
- Updates / year
- 15.6
- GitHub stars
- 11,499
- GitHub forks
- 371
- Website
- buf.build
- winget ID
- bufbuild.buf
- Scoop package
- main/buf
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Buf free?
Yes. Buf is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is Buf safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Buf with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Buf run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Buf?
The versions page lists all 21 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 17, 2025.
Can I use Buf without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.