Typical vs. Protobuf: Data serialization in TypeScript

Microservices have gained traction in the software industry for their ability to enhance flexibility and scalability, often requiring efficient communication between services, clients, or datastores. This communication can be streamlined using serialization technologies like Typical and Protobuf, which help define and manage data schemas to ensure correct data payloads. The text explores data serialization, the technologies Typical and Protobuf, and their applications in TypeScript, particularly focusing on handling employee data. Typical, though newer, offers features like asymmetric fields for maintaining backward and forward compatibility and choices for pattern-matching. Protobuf, with a longer history and maintained by Google, supports plugins and a variety of languages, offering a more granular approach to schema evolution. Both technologies use schemas to maintain data integrity, although they differ in handling nullable fields and schema changes. The choice between Typical and Protobuf depends on organizational needs, with each providing unique advantages in managing microservices communication efficiently.