Benchmarks of Go serialization methods

This is a test suite for benchmarking various Go serialization methods.

Tested serialization methods

• encoding/gob
• encoding/json
• github.com/json-iterator/go
• github.com/alecthomas/binary
• github.com/davecgh/go-xdr/xdr
• github.com/Sereal/Sereal/Go/sereal
• github.com/ugorji/go/codec
• github.com/vmihailenco/msgpack/v4
• labix.org/v2/mgo/bson
• github.com/tinylib/msgp (code generator for msgpack)
• github.com/golang/protobuf (generated code)
• github.com/gogo/protobuf (generated code, optimized version of goprotobuf)
• go.dedis.ch/protobuf (reflection based)
• github.com/google/flatbuffers
• github.com/hprose/hprose-go/io
• github.com/glycerine/go-capnproto
• zombiezen.com/go/capnproto2
• github.com/andyleap/gencode
• github.com/pascaldekloe/colfer
• github.com/linkedin/goavro
• github.com/ikkerens/ikeapack
• github.com/niubaoshu/gotiny
• github.com/prysmaticlabs/go-ssz
• github.com/200sc/bebop (generated code)
• github.com/shamaton/msgpackgen (generated code)
• github.com/ymz-ncnk/musgo (generated code)

Running the benchmarks

go get -u -t
go test -bench='.*' ./

To update the table in the README:

./stats.sh

Recommendation

If performance, correctness and interoperability are the most important factors, gogoprotobuf is currently the best choice. It does require a pre-processing step (eg. via Go 1.4's "go generate" command).

But as always, make your own choice based on your requirements.

Data

The data being serialized is the following structure with randomly generated values:

type A struct {
    Name     string
    BirthDay time.Time
    Phone    string
    Siblings int
    Spouse   bool
    Money    float64
}

Results

2022-08-16 Results with Go 1.16.5 Darwin/arm64 on an Apple M1

benchmark	iter	time/iter	bytes/op	allocs/op	tt.sec	tt.kb	ns/alloc
Benchmark_Gotiny_Marshal-8	5157031	216 ns/op	48	168	1.12	24753	1.29
Benchmark_Gotiny_Unmarshal-8	10985799	109 ns/op	48	112	1.20	52731	0.97
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_Marshal-8	5549127	214 ns/op	48	168	1.19	26635	1.27
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_Unmarshal-8	12082882	99 ns/op	48	96	1.20	57997	1.04
Benchmark_Msgp_Marshal-8	11179303	107 ns/op	97	128	1.20	108439	0.84
Benchmark_Msgp_Unmarshal-8	7097386	169 ns/op	97	112	1.20	68844	1.51
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_Marshal-8	2139926	560 ns/op	100	392	1.20	21399	1.43
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	1371309	876 ns/op	100	408	1.20	13713	2.15
Benchmark_Json_Marshal-8	1383134	868 ns/op	148	208	1.20	20553	4.17
Benchmark_Json_Unmarshal-8	676347	1764 ns/op	148	383	1.19	10057	4.61
Benchmark_JsonIter_Marshal-8	1309188	915 ns/op	138	248	1.20	18106	3.69
Benchmark_JsonIter_Unmarshal-8	1531534	783 ns/op	138	263	1.20	21181	2.98
Benchmark_EasyJson_Marshal-8	1702153	700 ns/op	148	896	1.19	25311	0.78
Benchmark_EasyJson_Unmarshal-8	2073801	581 ns/op	148	159	1.21	30816	3.66
Benchmark_Bson_Marshal-8	1967242	610 ns/op	110	376	1.20	21639	1.62
Benchmark_Bson_Unmarshal-8	1257063	955 ns/op	110	224	1.20	13827	4.26
Benchmark_MongoBson_Marshal-8	1270983	946 ns/op	110	384	1.20	13980	2.46
Benchmark_MongoBson_Unmarshal-8	1219966	984 ns/op	110	408	1.20	13419	2.41
Benchmark_Gob_Marshal-8	379551	3164 ns/op	163	1616	1.20	6209	1.96
Benchmark_Gob_Unmarshal-8	75757	15827 ns/op	163	7688	1.20	1240	2.06
Benchmark_XDR_Marshal-8	1270831	945 ns/op	88	376	1.20	11183	2.51
Benchmark_XDR_Unmarshal-8	1469666	816 ns/op	88	216	1.20	12933	3.78
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_Marshal-8	2148814	558 ns/op	91	1304	1.20	19554	0.43
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	1590700	754 ns/op	91	496	1.20	14475	1.52
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_Marshal-8	1992244	602 ns/op	95	1320	1.20	18926	0.46
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_Unmarshal-8	1358884	882 ns/op	95	656	1.20	12909	1.35
Benchmark_Sereal_Marshal-8	935347	1272 ns/op	132	832	1.19	12346	1.53
Benchmark_Sereal_Unmarshal-8	796164	1497 ns/op	132	976	1.19	10509	1.53
Benchmark_Binary_Marshal-8	1652059	728 ns/op	61	312	1.20	10077	2.33
Benchmark_Binary_Unmarshal-8	1427588	842 ns/op	61	320	1.20	8708	2.63
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_Marshal-8	3138784	381 ns/op	95	376	1.20	29884	1.01
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_Unmarshal-8	8881845	135 ns/op	95	112	1.20	84564	1.21
Benchmark_CapNProto_Marshal-8	1485355	811 ns/op	96	4488	1.21	14259	0.18
Benchmark_CapNProto_Unmarshal-8	4934485	243 ns/op	96	192	1.20	47371	1.27
Benchmark_CapNProto2_Marshal-8	2063122	579 ns/op	96	1452	1.20	19805	0.40
Benchmark_CapNProto2_Unmarshal-8	4443772	270 ns/op	96	272	1.20	42660	0.99
Benchmark_Hprose_Marshal-8	2847484	419 ns/op	82	379	1.19	23429	1.11
Benchmark_Hprose_Unmarshal-8	1947406	615 ns/op	82	304	1.20	16023	2.02
Benchmark_Hprose2_Marshal-8	3723235	325 ns/op	82	0	1.21	30631	0.00
Benchmark_Hprose2_Unmarshal-8	4194978	286 ns/op	82	136	1.20	34528	2.11
Benchmark_Protobuf_Marshal-8	2804445	427 ns/op	52	144	1.20	14583	2.97
Benchmark_Protobuf_Unmarshal-8	3319700	361 ns/op	52	184	1.20	17262	1.96
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_Marshal-8	6751698	176 ns/op	53	64	1.19	35783	2.76
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_Unmarshal-8	5818316	207 ns/op	53	168	1.20	30837	1.23
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_Marshal-8	16825938	71 ns/op	53	64	1.21	89177	1.12
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_Unmarshal-8	12882285	93 ns/op	53	96	1.20	68276	0.97
Benchmark_Gogojsonpb_Marshal-8	213758	5622 ns/op	125	3117	1.20	2682	1.80
Benchmark_Gogojsonpb_Unmarshal-8	151483	7923 ns/op	125	3610	1.20	1902	2.19
Benchmark_Colfer_Marshal-8	18066087	66 ns/op	51	64	1.20	92426	1.03
Benchmark_Colfer_Unmarshal-8	14401274	83 ns/op	51	112	1.21	73446	0.75
Benchmark_Gencode_Marshal-8	14489538	82 ns/op	53	80	1.20	76794	1.03
Benchmark_Gencode_Unmarshal-8	14329048	83 ns/op	53	112	1.20	75943	0.75
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_Marshal-8	22314405	52 ns/op	46	48	1.18	102646	1.10
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_Unmarshal-8	18527250	65 ns/op	46	96	1.21	85225	0.68
Benchmark_XDR2_Marshal-8	12781372	93 ns/op	60	64	1.20	76688	1.47
Benchmark_XDR2_Unmarshal-8	17961876	66 ns/op	60	32	1.19	107771	2.07
Benchmark_GoAvro_Marshal-8	902552	1330 ns/op	47	872	1.20	4241	1.53
Benchmark_GoAvro_Unmarshal-8	381249	3192 ns/op	47	3024	1.22	1791	1.06
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_Marshal-8	959385	1259 ns/op	133	1320	1.21	12836	0.95
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_Unmarshal-8	934458	1282 ns/op	133	783	1.20	12503	1.64
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_Marshal-8	3020731	396 ns/op	47	464	1.20	14197	0.85
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_Unmarshal-8	2812490	426 ns/op	47	544	1.20	13218	0.78
Benchmark_Ikea_Marshal-8	2206000	544 ns/op	55	184	1.20	12133	2.96
Benchmark_Ikea_Unmarshal-8	2875797	416 ns/op	55	160	1.20	15816	2.60
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_Marshal-8	2647074	452 ns/op	92	192	1.20	24353	2.35
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	3114541	386 ns/op	92	136	1.20	28653	2.84
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_Marshal-8	2907676	412 ns/op	50	160	1.20	14538	2.58
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	4661485	257 ns/op	50	136	1.20	23307	1.89
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_Marshal-8	9296109	128 ns/op	92	96	1.20	85524	1.34
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_Unmarshal-8	8447602	142 ns/op	92	80	1.20	77717	1.78
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_Marshal-8	11615052	103 ns/op	50	64	1.20	58075	1.62
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_Unmarshal-8	14123607	85 ns/op	50	80	1.20	70618	1.06
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_Marshal-8	390501	3039 ns/op	55	440	1.19	2147	6.91
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_Unmarshal-8	268053	4483 ns/op	55	1184	1.20	1474	3.79
Benchmark_Mum_Marshal-8	18664054	63 ns/op	48	0	1.19	89587	0.00
Benchmark_Mum_Unmarshal-8	9962642	120 ns/op	48	80	1.20	47820	1.51
Benchmark_Bebop_Marshal-8	16628799	71 ns/op	55	64	1.19	91458	1.12
Benchmark_Bebop_Unmarshal-8	21506419	55 ns/op	55	32	1.19	118285	1.73
Benchmark_FastJson_Marshal-8	3820375	312 ns/op	133	504	1.19	51116	0.62
Benchmark_FastJson_Unmarshal-8	1539577	779 ns/op	133	1704	1.20	20599	0.46
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_Marshal-8	14030799	84 ns/op	48	55	1.19	68035	1.54
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_Unmarshal-8	16834632	71 ns/op	48	64	1.20	81647	1.11
Benchmark_Musgo_Marshal-8	14076384	84 ns/op	48	55	1.19	68242	1.54
Benchmark_Musgo_Unmarshal-8	13497546	89 ns/op	48	96	1.20	65490	0.93

Totals:

benchmark	iter	time/iter	bytes/op	allocs/op	tt.sec	tt.kb	ns/alloc
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_-8	40841655	118 ns/op	92	144	4.83	375743	0.82
Benchmark_Bebop_-8	38135218	127 ns/op	110	96	4.85	419487	1.32
Benchmark_Colfer_-8	32467361	149 ns/op	102	176	4.87	331686	0.85
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_-8	30865431	155 ns/op	96	119	4.81	299363	1.31
Benchmark_XDR2_-8	30743248	160 ns/op	120	96	4.92	368918	1.67
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_-8	29708223	164 ns/op	106	160	4.90	314907	1.03
Benchmark_Gencode_-8	28818586	166 ns/op	106	192	4.80	305477	0.87
Benchmark_Musgo_-8	27573930	173 ns/op	97	151	4.79	267467	1.15
Benchmark_Mum_-8	28626696	184 ns/op	96	80	5.28	274816	2.30
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_-8	25738659	188 ns/op	100	144	4.85	257386	1.31
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_-8	17743711	271 ns/op	184	176	4.81	326484	1.54
Benchmark_Msgp_-8	18276689	276 ns/op	194	240	5.05	354567	1.15
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_-8	17632009	313 ns/op	96	264	5.53	169267	1.19
Benchmark_Gotiny_-8	16142830	325 ns/op	96	280	5.25	154971	1.16
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_-8	12570014	383 ns/op	106	232	4.82	133242	1.65
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_-8	12020629	517 ns/op	190	488	6.22	228896	1.06
Benchmark_Hprose2_-8	7918213	611 ns/op	164	136	4.84	130317	4.50
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_-8	7569161	670 ns/op	100	296	5.07	75691	2.26
Benchmark_Protobuf_-8	6124145	789 ns/op	104	328	4.83	63691	2.41
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_-8	5833221	822 ns/op	94	1008	4.80	54832	0.82
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_-8	5761615	838 ns/op	184	328	4.83	106013	2.55
Benchmark_CapNProto2_-8	6506894	849 ns/op	192	1724	5.53	124932	0.49
Benchmark_Ikea_-8	5081797	961 ns/op	110	344	4.88	55899	2.79
Benchmark_Hprose_-8	4794890	1035 ns/op	164	683	4.96	78904	1.52
Benchmark_CapNProto_-8	6419840	1055 ns/op	192	4680	6.77	123260	0.23
Benchmark_FastJson_-8	5359952	1091 ns/op	267	2208	5.85	143432	0.49
Benchmark_EasyJson_-8	3775954	1282 ns/op	297	1055	4.84	112259	1.22
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_-8	3739514	1312 ns/op	182	1800	4.91	68059	0.73
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_-8	3511235	1436 ns/op	200	800	5.04	70224	1.80
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_-8	3351128	1485 ns/op	190	1976	4.98	63671	0.75
Benchmark_Bson_-8	3224305	1566 ns/op	220	600	5.05	70934	2.61
Benchmark_Binary_-8	3079647	1570 ns/op	122	632	4.84	37571	2.49
Benchmark_JsonIter_-8	2840722	1698 ns/op	276	511	4.82	78574	3.32
Benchmark_XDR_-8	2740497	1762 ns/op	176	592	4.83	48232	2.98
Benchmark_MongoBson_-8	2490949	1930 ns/op	220	792	4.81	54800	2.44
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_-8	1893843	2541 ns/op	267	2103	4.81	50679	1.21
Benchmark_Json_-8	2059481	2632 ns/op	297	591	5.42	61228	4.45
Benchmark_Sereal_-8	1731511	2769 ns/op	264	1808	4.79	45711	1.53
Benchmark_GoAvro_-8	1283801	4522 ns/op	94	3896	5.81	12067	1.16
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_-8	658554	7522 ns/op	110	1624	4.95	7244	4.63
Benchmark_Gogojsonpb_-8	365241	13545 ns/op	251	6727	4.95	9171	2.01
Benchmark_Gob_-8	455308	18991 ns/op	327	9304	8.65	14902	2.04

Issues

The benchmarks can also be run with validation enabled.

VALIDATE=1 go test -bench='.*' ./

Unfortunately, several of the serializers exhibit issues:

1. (minor) BSON drops sub-microsecond precision from time.Time.
2. (minor) Ugorji Binc Codec drops the timezone name (eg. "EST" -> "-0500") from time.Time.

--- FAIL: BenchmarkBsonUnmarshal-8
    serialization_benchmarks_test.go:115: unmarshaled object differed:
        &{20b999e3621bd773 2016-01-19 14:05:02.469416459 -0800 PST f017c8e9de 4 true 0.20887343719329818}
        &{20b999e3621bd773 2016-01-19 14:05:02.469 -0800 PST f017c8e9de 4 true 0.20887343719329818}
--- FAIL: BenchmarkUgorjiCodecBincUnmarshal-8
    serialization_benchmarks_test.go:115: unmarshaled object differed:
        &{20a1757ced6b488e 2016-01-19 14:05:15.69474534 -0800 PST 71f3bf4233 0 false 0.8712180830484527}
        &{20a1757ced6b488e 2016-01-19 14:05:15.69474534 -0800 -0800 71f3bf4233 0 false 0.8712180830484527}

All other fields are correct however.

Additionally, while not a correctness issue, FlatBuffers, ProtoBuffers, Cap'N'Proto and ikeapack do not support time types directly. In the benchmarks an int64 value is used to hold a UnixNano timestamp.