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SLIMRPC Compiler

The SLIMRPC compiler is a set of protoc plugins that generate client and server stubs from .proto files for use over SLIM. It works alongside the standard protobuf code generators — you run both in a single buf generate (or protoc) invocation.

Supported Languages

Language Plugin binary
Python protoc-gen-slimrpc-python
Go protoc-gen-slimrpc-go
Java protoc-gen-slimrpc-java
Kotlin protoc-gen-slimrpc-kotlin
.NET (C#) protoc-gen-slimrpc-csharp
Node.js / TypeScript protoc-gen-slimrpc-node

Installation

Build the plugins from source using Cargo:

git clone https://github.com/agntcy/slim-bindings.git
cd slim-bindings
cargo build --release -p slimrpc-compiler

The plugin binaries are placed in target/release/. Add that directory to your PATH, or copy the binaries to a directory already on your PATH.

Add the SLIMRPC plugin to your buf.gen.yaml alongside the standard protobuf plugin:

version: v2
managed:
  enabled: true
plugins:
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-python
    out: types
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/python:v29.3
    out: types
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/pyi:v31.1
    out: types

version: v2
managed:
  enabled: true
plugins:
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/go
    out: types
    opt:
      - paths=source_relative
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-go
    out: types
    opt:
      - paths=source_relative

version: v2
managed:
  enabled: true
plugins:
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/java
    out: src/main/java
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-java
    out: src/main/java

version: v2
clean: true
managed:
  enabled: true
  override:
    - file_option: java_package_prefix
      value: com
inputs:
  - proto_file: example.proto
plugins:
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/java
    out: types
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/kotlin
    out: types
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-kotlin
    out: slimrpc

version: v2
managed:
  enabled: true
inputs:
  - proto_file: example.proto
plugins:
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-node
    out: types
  - remote: buf.build/bufbuild/es:v2.12.1
    out: types
    opt:
      - target=ts
      - import_extension=js

version: v2
managed:
  enabled: true
plugins:
  - remote: buf.build/protocolbuffers/csharp
    out: Generated
    opt: base_namespace=ExampleService
  - local: protoc-gen-slimrpc-csharp
    out: Generated
    opt: base_namespace=ExampleService,types_namespace=ExampleService

Then run:

buf generate

Usage with protoc

# Python
protoc --slimrpc-python_out=types --python_out=types example.proto

# Go
protoc --slimrpc-go_out=types --go_out=types example.proto

# Java
protoc --slimrpc-java_out=src/main/java --java_out=src/main/java example.proto

# Kotlin
protoc --slimrpc-kotlin_out=slimrpc --kotlin_out=types example.proto

# C#
protoc --slimrpc-csharp_out=Generated --csharp_out=Generated example.proto

# Node.js / TypeScript
protoc --slimrpc-node_out=types --es_out=types example.proto

Generated Code

Each language generates:

  • Client stub — makes calls to a remote SLIMRPC server via a Channel
  • Server interface — the interface you implement to handle incoming calls
  • Registration function — registers your implementation with a Server instance

See the Serving and Using tutorials for how to use the generated code.

Full Reference

For all plugin options (types_import, paths, base_namespace, etc.) and troubleshooting, see the SLIMRPC compiler README in the slim-bindings repository.