Let's not waste time here, if you've already read the [[Encoding]] section, we can start right away.

## Install protocol buffers

Install the protocol-buffers generator by downloading a github release of it and add it to your $PATH env variable, you can find the releases at [this github page](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/).

Details about protocol-buffers for Go can be found at [evelopers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/gotutorial](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/gotutorial).

## Define the data structure with protobuf

Let's start by defining what structure looks like.

Create a new file on your package named `user_message.proto` and fill it.

```go
syntax="proto3";

package main;

message UserMessage {
    string Username =1;
    string Text = 2;
}
```

## Generate proto for Go

Protobufs requires code generation.

Start a session terminal and execute:

```sh
$ protoc --go_out=. user_message.proto
```

This will create a `user_message.pb.go` which extends the data structure in protobuf form for Go.

## Javascript support

* https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/tree/master/js#commonjs-imports
* https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js#nodejs (with browserify)
    * We use that in [_examples/protobuf/browser](https://github.com/kataras/neffos/tree/master/_examples/protobuf/browser) repository example.
* https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js#browsers (alternative)

## Proto Marshal and Unmarshal 

```go
userMsg := &UserMessage{
    Username: "my username",
    Text: "text from terminal",
}

// send data to the "chat" event.
body, err := proto.Marshal(userMsg)
if err != nil {
    // [handle err...]
}
c.EmitBinary("chat", body)
```

```go
// assuming that we are on the other side's "chat" event's callback,
// here is how you can read protobuf data.
var userMsg UserMessage
if err := proto.Unmarshal(msg.Body, &userMsg); err != nil {
    return err
}

// userMsg.Username == "my username"
// userMsg.Text == "text from terminal"
```

Read the complete source code by navigating to the repository's [_examples/protobuf](https://github.com/kataras/neffos/tree/master/_examples/protobuf) directory.