gdbuf

Seamlessly use Google Protobuf messages as native Resources in Godot.

gdbuf compiles your .proto files into a high-performance GDExtension (C++), automatically bridging the gap between your network/data layer and the Godot Engine.

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Note: This project was developed with the assistance of AI coding tool OpenCode using the Google Gemini 3 model.

Much care and guidance was exercised.

Note: lol. trying to de-slop this so its actually functional

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Why gdbuf?

• Native Resources: Your Protobuf messages become first-class Godot Resource objects. Create, edit, and save them (.tres) directly in the Godot Editor.
• Inspector Integration: View and modify message fields in the Inspector with full type support.
• Documentation: Comments in your .proto files are automatically converted into Godot Editor tooltips and documentation.
• Performance: Built on GDExtension and C++ for maximum speed.
• Zero Boilerplate: No manual C++ coding required. Just run the tool.

Installation

Prerequisites

• Go (1.21+)
• protoc (The Protocol Buffers compiler) installed and in your system PATH.
• C++ Compiler (gcc/clang/msvc) & CMake (for building the extension).

Build gdbuf

git clone --recursive https://github.com/onion-4-dinner/gdbuf.git
cd gdbuf
make build
# The binary will be in bin/gdbuf

Usage

Run gdbuf pointing to your Protobuf definitions directory. It will handle parsing, code generation, and compiling the GDExtension library for you.

./bin/gdbuf \
  --proto ./path/to/your/protos \
  --include ./path/to/your/protos/public \
  --include ./path/to/your/protos/private \
  --out ./path/to/godot_project/addons/my_proto_extension \
  --name MyProtoLib

Arguments

• --proto: Path to the directory containing your .proto files (Required).

• --include: Additional directories to include for resolving imports. Can be specified multiple times.

• --out: Directory where the compiled GDExtension (library + .gdextension file) will be placed (Default: ./out).

• --genout: Directory where the intermediate C++ source code will be generated (Default: .).

• --generate-only: Only generate the C++ source code, skipping the GDExtension compilation step (Default: false).

• --name: Name of the GDExtension library (Default: gdbufgen).

• --platform: Target platform(s) to build for. Can be a single platform (linux, windows, web, android), a comma-separated list (linux,web), or all. Default: Host OS.

• --cache: Custom directory for build artifacts and toolchain downloads (Android NDK, Emscripten SDK). Default: System cache directory (~/.cache/gdbuf on Linux, ~/Library/Caches/gdbuf on macOS).

• --debug: Build debug binaries instead (Default: false)

• --threaded: Build multi-threaded binaries for web (Default: false)

• --double: Build with double-precision floating point variables (Default: false)

In Godot

Once the extension is generated and placed in your project:

1. Restart Godot to load the new extension.
2. Use in GDScript:

   # Create a message
   var msg = MyMessage.new()
   msg.health = 100
   msg.name = "Player 1"
   
   # Serialize
   var bytes = msg.to_byte_array()
   
   # Save to disk
   ResourceSaver.save(msg, "res://player_data.tres")

3. Use in Editor: Right-click in FileSystem -> New Resource -> Search for your message name.

Documentation

• Features & Supported Types: Detailed list of supported Protobuf features and how they map to Godot.
• GDScript API Reference: Detailed guide on using the generated GDScript API.
• Developer Guide: Architecture overview and guide for contributors.