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Show HN: Apache Fory Rust – 10-20x faster serialization than JSON/Protobuf

(fory.apache.org)
66 points chaokunyang | 1 comments | 28 Oct 25 17:58 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

Serialization framework with some interesting numbers: 10-20x faster on nested objects than json/protobuf.

  Technical approach: compile-time codegen (no reflection), compact binary protocol with meta-packing, little-endian layout optimized for modern CPUs.

  Unique features that other fast serializers don't have:
  - Cross-language without IDL files (Rust ↔ Python/Java/Go)
  - Trait object serialization (Box<dyn Trait>)
  - Automatic circular reference handling
  - Schema evolution without coordination

  Happy to discuss design trade-offs.

  Benchmarks: https://fory.apache.org/docs/benchmarks/rust
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tnorgaard ◴[28 Oct 25 20:40 UTC] No.45738849[source]▶
I wish we would focus on making tooling better for W3C EXI (Binary XML encoding) instead of inventing new formats. Just being fast isn't enough, I don't see many using Aeron/SBT, it need a ecosystem - which XML does have.
replies(2): >>45739088 #>>45743030 #
1. chaokunyang ◴[29 Oct 25 05:40 UTC] No.45743030[source]▶
Binary XML encoding (like W3C EXI) is useful in some contexts, but it’s generally not as efficient as modern binary serialization formats. It also can’t naturally express shared or circular reference semantics, which are important for complex object graphs.

Fory’s format was designed from the ground up to handle those cases efficiently, while still enabling cross‑language compatibility and schema evolution.