MessagePack: Binary serialization format for data exchange that supports multiple languages

I sort of have a thing for back-end systems: RPC calls, middleware, serialization protocols. A well put together and well-documented API makes me smile. MessagePack (via) looks like another great tool for my tool-belt.

The MessagePack website says:

MessagePack is an efficient binary serialization format. It lets you exchange data among multiple languages like JSON. But it’s faster and smaller.
Small integers are encoded into a single byte, and typical short strings require only one extra byte in addition to the strings themselves.

Here’s an example in Java, also from the MessagePack site:

Simple Serialization/Deserialization/Duck Typing using Value

// Create serialize objects.
List<String> src = new ArrayList<String>();
src.add("msgpack");
src.add("kumofs");
src.add("viver");

MessagePack msgpack = new MessagePack();
// Serialize
byte[] raw = msgpack.write(src);

// Deserialize directly using a template
List<String> dst1 = msgpack.read(raw, Templates.tList(Templates.TString));
System.out.println(dst1.get(0));
System.out.println(dst1.get(1));
System.out.println(dst1.get(2));

// Or, Deserialze to Value then convert type.
Value dynamic = msgpack.read(raw);
List<String> dst2 = new Converter(dynamic)
    .read(Templates.tList(Templates.TString));
System.out.println(dst2.get(0));
System.out.println(dst2.get(1));
System.out.println(dst2.get(2));