FlatBuffers
FlatBuffers is an efficient cross-platform serialization library developed by Google, designed for high-performance applications. It allows data to be stored in a flat binary buffer without parsing or unpacking, enabling direct memory access for fast reading and writing. It is particularly useful in scenarios requiring low-latency data exchange, such as game development, mobile apps, and embedded systems.
Developers should learn FlatBuffers when building performance-critical applications where serialization speed and memory efficiency are paramount, such as in real-time gaming, IoT devices, or high-frequency trading systems. It is ideal for use cases involving large datasets or frequent data access, as it eliminates the need for deserialization overhead, reducing latency and improving throughput compared to formats like JSON or Protocol Buffers.