Simple example on how to do ser/des with Google's Protobuf in PowerShell

_Get-ProtoC.ps1

function Get-ProtoC {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Download latest protoc.exe binary from github
    The protoc tool is the protocol buffer compiler

    Source: https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases
.EXAMPLE
    Get-ProtoC -Path C:\temp
#>
[OutputType([System.IO.FileInfo])]
[cmdletbinding()]
param (
    [string]$Path = 'C:\Temp'
)

#Requires -Modules Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive, Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

# get the download url for the zip file
$repo     = 'protobuf'
$org      = 'protocolbuffers'
$releases = "https://api.github.com/repos/$org/$repo/releases"
$all      = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $releases -Verbose:$false
$win64    = $all[0].assets | where name -like *win64.zip  # <-- the first one in the list is the latest version (that's the [0] index)
$zipfile  = Join-Path $Path $win64.name

# download the zip file
if (Test-Path $zipfile) {
    Write-Warning "The zip file $zipfile already exists, it will be overwritten"
    Remove-Item -Path $zipfile -Force -Verbose:$false
}
$params = @{
    Uri         = $win64.url
    Headers     = @{Accept='application/octet-stream'}
    OutFile     = $zipfile
    Verbose     = $false
    ErrorAction = 'Stop'
}
Invoke-WebRequest @params
if (-not (Test-Path $zipfile)) {
    Write-Warning "Cannot find the downloaded file $zipfile, maybe the download had an error"
    return
}

# uncompress it
$UnzipPath = $zipfile.Replace('.zip',$null)
if (Test-Path $UnzipPath) {Write-Warning "The path $UnzipPath already exists" ; return}
(Expand-Archive -Path $zipfile -DestinationPath $UnzipPath -Verbose:$false -EA Stop) 4>$null
if (-not (Test-Path $UnzipPath)) {
    Write-Warning "Cannot find the unziiped folder $UnzipPath, maybe the zip extraction had errors"
    return
}

# get the .exe binary
$exe = Join-Path $UnzipPath 'bin\protoc.exe'
if (-not (Test-Path $exe)) {
    Write-Warning "Cannot find the .exe file $exe, you'll need to get it manually"
    return
}
$FinalExe = (Join-Path $Path 'protoc.exe')
if (Test-Path $FinalExe) {
    Write-Verbose "The .exe file $FinalExe already exists, it will be overwritten"
}
Copy-Item -Path $exe -Destination $Path -Verbose:$false -Force -ErrorAction Stop

# remove the unzipped folder
Remove-Item -Path $UnzipPath -Recurse -Force -Verbose:$false -ErrorAction Stop
if (Test-Path $UnzipPath) {
    Write-Warning "Could not remove the unzipped folder $UnzipPath, you'll need to delete it manually"
}

# remove the zip file
Remove-Item -Path $zipfile -Force -Verbose:$false -ErrorAction Stop

# finally show the output
Get-Item $FinalExe
}

Protocol Buffers in PowerShell (simple) - Serialization & Deserialization.ps1

## Protobuf Serialization & Deserialization

# This is the process to serialize and deserialize data into/from protobuf
# Protobuf is supposed to be much smaller than JSON or XML and that's its main advantage

# Date: 09-Jun-2026

# you will need to following thing:
# - nuget tool (ex. scoop install nuget)

# the following was done in PowerShell 7.6.2 on Windows 11
# which means we are running on a .NET v10.0 runtime (that is PS v7.6)


## ** Initial Setup **

# go to a sample folder (create one if need be)
cd (md C:\temp\proto)

# download the protoc tool (that's the proto compiler)
# get it from: https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases
. C:\temp\Get-ProtoC.ps1
Get-ProtoC -Path C:\temp\proto

# create a sample class
@'
syntax = "proto3";

package example;

option csharp_namespace = "MyCustomProto";

message Person {
  string name = 1;
  int32 id = 2;
  string email = 3;
}
'@ | Out-File person.proto
# extended example: https://protobuf.dev/getting-started/csharptutorial/#protocol-format

# generate the .cs file from that .proto file
$DST_DIR = 'C:\temp\proto'
.\protoc --proto_path=. --csharp_out="$DST_DIR" .\person.proto
  # Note: this will generate the C# file c:\temp\proto\Person.cs

# download the Google.Protobuf library
cd (md ProtobufLibs)
nuget install Google.Protobuf
cd ..

<# This will install a number of packages (versions as of Jun-2026)
    Google.Protobuf.3.35.0
    System.Buffers.4.4.0
    System.Memory.4.5.3
    System.Numerics.Vectors.4.4.0
    System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.4.5.2

But since we are on .NET 6+ we only need the Google.Protobuf folder
#>

# load the google library
$gDll = (dir 'ProtobufLibs\Google*\lib\net5.0\*.dll').FullName
Add-Type -Path $gDll
if (-not 'Google.Protobuf.IMessage' -as [type]) {Write-Warning 'Cannot find the Protobuf classes!!'}

# now load our library
$ref = [Google.Protobuf.MessageParser].Assembly.FullName
Add-Type -Path .\Person.cs -ReferencedAssemblies $ref -IgnoreWarnings -WarningAction Ignore


## ** Serialization **

# you can finally use our library
$Person = [MyCustomProto.Person]@{
    Name  = 'some_name'
    Id    = 12
    Email = 'some_email@domain.com'
}

# convert the data into a byte array
$MemStream   = [System.IO.MemoryStream]::new()
$ProtoStream = [Google.Protobuf.CodedOutputStream]::new($MemStream)
$Person.WriteTo($ProtoStream)
$ProtoStream.Flush()
$SerializedBytes = $MemStream.ToArray()

 # Note: the method $Person.ToByteArray() was not found, hence why I'm using a memory stream

# save the byte array into a file
$Path = Join-Path $PWD person.dat
$File = [System.IO.File]::Create($Path)
$File.Write($SerializedBytes,0,$SerializedBytes.Length)
$File.Close()

# clean up (order matters here)
$ProtoStream.Dispose()
$MemStream.Dispose()
$File.Dispose()

# check the size of the file, to see how small it is (compared to json or xml)
Get-Item $Path | select Name,Length

# you can now send that data anywhere you want


<# by now you have the following files in the c:\temp\proto folder
- Person.cs
- person.dat
- person.proto
- protoc.exe
And the \ProtobufLibs sub directory
#>

## ** Deserialization **

# To properly check the deserialization, we can open up a new powershell console
# to simulate a different environment

# load the google library
cd C:\temp\proto
$gDll = (dir 'ProtobufLibs\Google*\lib\net5.0\*.dll').FullName
Add-Type -Path $gDll

# load up our class
$ref = [Google.Protobuf.MessageParser].Assembly.FullName
Add-Type -Path .\Person.cs -ReferencedAssemblies $ref -IgnoreWarnings -WarningAction Ignore

# Get the parser for the Person message
$Parser = [MyCustomProto.Person]::Parser

# get the byte array from our data
$Path     = 'c:\temp\proto\person.dat'
$ByteData = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($Path)   # <-- this needs a full path, not relative path

# Deserialize the byte array back into a Person object
$DeserializedPerson = $Parser.ParseFrom($ByteData)

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