bipack_ru/README.md

# bipack_ru: Rust Bipack implementation

Bipack serialization format is a compact binary format that was created as a replacement for a
BOSS format, more compact, faster, and not revealing inner data structure as much as possible.
It is used in our next generation data protection systems, in DiWAN products as a base format and also in my new communication package like [kiloparsec](https://gitea.sergeych.net/sergeych/kiloparsec)
(and in underlying [crypto2](https://gitea.sergeych.net/sergeych/crypto2)) which are intended
to replace older `Parsec` protocols family to cope with modern crazy world challenges.

>__IMPORTANT__ due to growing tensions in the world, the main development is moved to our [Gitea repository](https://gitea.sergeych.net/DiWAN/bipack_ru). We will try our best to make it available all around the world.

The most recent code will be there, and we encourage to use it also for issues/discussions.

> Beta test

# Use with serde:

Use `bipack_ru:ser:to_bytes()` and `bipack_ru:de:from_bytes()` functions:
```rust
fn test() -> Result<(),Error> {
    let src = HashSet::from(["foo", "bar", "buz"].map(|i| i.to_string()));
    let packed = to_bytes(&src)?;
    println!("{}", to_dump(&packed));

    let restored: HashSet<String> = from_bytes(&packed)?;
    println!("{:?}", restored);
    assert_eq!(src, restored);
}
```


serde module supports all Rust formats except floats/doubles which are not yet used and
standardized by bipack format. 

- All integers, signed and unsigned, are encoded with variable-length `smartint`.

Fixed-size encoding is available using custom de/serializers (exactly as in postcard format):

```rust
#[derive(Serialize)]
pub struct DefinitelyBigEndian {
    #[serde(with = "bipack_ru::fixint::be")]
    // or #[serde(with = "bipack_ru::fixint::le")]
    x: u16,
}
```

## Fixed or variable length arrays?

When encoding arrays, the rule is simple:

- dynamic arrays (arrays, vectors, etc.) are encoded with size, as variable-length
- fixed-size arrays, like tuples `(1,2,3,4,5)`, or something like `[u32; 5]` are encoded as fixed-size entities.

# Direct usage (no serde)

The sample code (see `src/lib.rs` for more:)
```rust
fn test() {
    let mut data = Vec::<u8>::new();
    data.put_str("Hello, rupack!");
    println!("size ${}\n{}", data.len(), to_dump(&data));
    let mut src = SliceSource::from(&data);
    assert_eq!("Hello, rupack!", src.get_str().unwrap());
}
```

## Tools and macros

- `to_dump` to convert binary slice into human-readable dump
- `StringBuilder` super minimalistic string builder (footprint). 


The autodoc documentation is good enough already, so we do not repeat it here now.

## How to

- just ad this package to your dependencies, it is on crates.io.

## Big thanks

- to https://github.com/jamesmunns for the brilliant postcard format which was used as a source of inspiration for the Rust bindings.

# License

For compliance with other modules this work is provided under APACHE 2.0 license a copy of which is included in the file `LICENSE`.