Protocol Buffers (Protobuf) is a free and open-source cross-platform data format used to serialize structured data. It is useful in developing programs that communicate with each other over a network or for storing data. The method involves an interface description language that describes the structure of some data and a program that generates source code from that description for generating or parsing a stream of bytes that represents the structured data.
Google developed Protocol Buffers for internal use and provided a code generator for multiple languages under an open-source license.
The design goals for Protocol Buffers emphasized simplicity and performance. In particular, it was designed to be smaller and faster than XML.
Protocol Buffers is widely used at Google for storing and interchanging all kinds of structured information. The method serves as a basis for a custom remote procedure call (RPC) system that is used for nearly all inter-machine communication at Google.
What is protobuf?
protobuf by Protocol Buffers (developed by Google) is proprietary Windows software. The first release dates back to 2001. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 36.2, released on September 17, 2026. The version history goes back to March 8, 2024: 25 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 9.9 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,126,142 times. The source code on GitHub (protocolbuffers/protobuf) has 72,126 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 13 of our languages.
Project description on GitHub: “Protocol Buffers - Google's data interchange format”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 9.9 a year)
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2001)
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
- No native ARM64 build
In short: protobuf is a Windows tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is protobuf 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:
F0C128DC0D8492ECEECE83BB459A4C0E316764B929FFBF1AA416357FD644EDD3· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- 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 protocolbuffers/protobuf repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 24, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Dependency update tool10
- Security policy10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Static code analysis10
- Signed releases10
- Fuzzing10
- Tests in CI10
- Contributors from several organisations10
- Licence declared9
- No known vulnerabilities7
- Code review0
- No dangerous workflows0
- Restricted token permissions0
- Pinned dependencies0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 25 versions ›25 versions over 3 years · about 9.9 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36.2Latest | September 17, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 36.0 | August 20, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 35.1 | June 11, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 35.0 | May 19, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 34.1 | March 19, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 34.0 | February 25, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 33.5 | January 29, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 33.4 | January 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Google.Protobuf -echoco install protoc -yscoop install extras/protobufRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Protocol Buffers
- Developer
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Source code
- github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 36.2
- Released
- September 17, 2026
- First release
- 2001
- Added to the catalogue
- March 8, 2024
- Versions listed
- 25
- Updates / year
- 9.9
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,126,142
- GitHub stars
- 72,126
- GitHub forks
- 16,326
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Google.Protobuf
- Chocolatey package
- protoc
- Scoop package
- extras/protobuf
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is protobuf free?
protobuf is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Proprietary). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is protobuf 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 protobuf 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 protobuf run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of protobuf?
The versions page lists all 25 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 8, 2024.
Can I use protobuf without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.