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

2021-06-21 Results with Go 1.16.5 linux/amd64 on an Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3630QM CPU @ 2.40GHz

benchmark	iter	time/iter	bytes/op	allocs/op	tt.sec	tt.kb	ns/alloc
Benchmark_Gotiny_Marshal-8	8161915	144 ns/op	48	0	1.18	39177	0.00
Benchmark_Gotiny_Unmarshal-8	3062521	396 ns/op	48	112	1.21	14700	3.54
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_Marshal-8	8340646	134 ns/op	48	0	1.12	40035	0.00
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_Unmarshal-8	3323733	361 ns/op	48	96	1.20	15953	3.77
Benchmark_Msgp_Marshal-8	3723291	289 ns/op	97	128	1.08	36115	2.26
Benchmark_Msgp_Unmarshal-8	2651005	467 ns/op	97	112	1.24	25714	4.17
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_Marshal-8	856572	1605 ns/op	100	392	1.37	8565	4.09
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	461299	2329 ns/op	100	408	1.07	4612	5.71
Benchmark_Json_Marshal-8	501478	2538 ns/op	151	208	1.27	7602	12.20
Benchmark_Json_Unmarshal-8	226456	5023 ns/op	151	383	1.14	3435	13.11
Benchmark_JsonIter_Marshal-8	440287	2611 ns/op	141	248	1.15	6221	10.53
Benchmark_JsonIter_Unmarshal-8	582590	2232 ns/op	141	264	1.30	8231	8.45
Benchmark_EasyJson_Marshal-8	520345	2520 ns/op	151	896	1.31	7893	2.81
Benchmark_EasyJson_Unmarshal-8	666243	1827 ns/op	151	160	1.22	10100	11.42
Benchmark_Bson_Marshal-8	723712	1603 ns/op	110	376	1.16	7960	4.26
Benchmark_Bson_Unmarshal-8	564585	2151 ns/op	110	224	1.21	6210	9.60
Benchmark_Gob_Marshal-8	1320562	882 ns/op	63	40	1.16	8394	22.05
Benchmark_Gob_Unmarshal-8	1000000	1041 ns/op	63	112	1.04	6357	9.29
Benchmark_XDR_Marshal-8	592130	2350 ns/op	92	440	1.39	5447	5.34
Benchmark_XDR_Unmarshal-8	579439	2160 ns/op	92	232	1.25	5330	9.31
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_Marshal-8	827307	2137 ns/op	91	1304	1.77	7528	1.64
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	566781	2076 ns/op	91	496	1.18	5157	4.19
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_Marshal-8	547809	2256 ns/op	95	1320	1.24	5204	1.71
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_Unmarshal-8	438355	2323 ns/op	95	656	1.02	4164	3.54
Benchmark_Sereal_Marshal-8	287544	4017 ns/op	132	832	1.16	3795	4.83
Benchmark_Sereal_Unmarshal-8	269700	4571 ns/op	132	976	1.23	3560	4.68
Benchmark_Binary_Marshal-8	645805	1804 ns/op	61	312	1.17	3939	5.78
Benchmark_Binary_Unmarshal-8	681712	1824 ns/op	61	320	1.24	4158	5.70
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_Marshal-8	4016948	283 ns/op	95	0	1.14	38233	0.00
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_Unmarshal-8	2870288	390 ns/op	95	112	1.12	27293	3.48
Benchmark_CapNProto_Marshal-8	2463114	486 ns/op	96	56	1.20	23645	8.69
Benchmark_CapNProto_Unmarshal-8	1854186	659 ns/op	96	192	1.22	17800	3.44
Benchmark_CapNProto2_Marshal-8	1304802	927 ns/op	96	244	1.21	12526	3.80
Benchmark_CapNProto2_Unmarshal-8	1000000	1156 ns/op	96	304	1.16	9600	3.80
Benchmark_Hprose_Marshal-8	1278418	914 ns/op	85	376	1.17	10893	2.43
Benchmark_Hprose_Unmarshal-8	887418	1539 ns/op	85	304	1.37	7567	5.06
Benchmark_Hprose2_Marshal-8	2158150	569 ns/op	85	0	1.23	18396	0.00
Benchmark_Hprose2_Unmarshal-8	1697797	741 ns/op	85	136	1.26	14473	5.45
Benchmark_Protobuf_Marshal-8	1253037	942 ns/op	52	144	1.18	6515	6.55
Benchmark_Protobuf_Unmarshal-8	1000000	1037 ns/op	52	184	1.04	5200	5.64
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_Marshal-8	3247056	378 ns/op	53	64	1.23	17209	5.92
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_Unmarshal-8	1839267	651 ns/op	53	168	1.20	9748	3.88
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_Marshal-8	5886194	204 ns/op	53	64	1.20	31196	3.20
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_Unmarshal-8	3464098	345 ns/op	53	96	1.20	18359	3.60
Benchmark_Colfer_Marshal-8	6263342	199 ns/op	51	64	1.25	32024	3.11
Benchmark_Colfer_Unmarshal-8	3480002	332 ns/op	52	112	1.16	18096	2.97
Benchmark_Gencode_Marshal-8	4923776	237 ns/op	53	80	1.17	26096	2.97
Benchmark_Gencode_Unmarshal-8	3545628	320 ns/op	53	112	1.14	18791	2.87
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_Marshal-8	7635088	151 ns/op	46	48	1.15	35121	3.15
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_Unmarshal-8	4488044	261 ns/op	46	96	1.17	20645	2.72
Benchmark_XDR2_Marshal-8	5162656	244 ns/op	60	64	1.26	30975	3.82
Benchmark_XDR2_Unmarshal-8	6587552	177 ns/op	60	32	1.17	39525	5.53
Benchmark_GoAvro_Marshal-8	307700	3622 ns/op	47	872	1.11	1446	4.15
Benchmark_GoAvro_Unmarshal-8	119338	9757 ns/op	47	3024	1.16	560	3.23
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_Marshal-8	292531	4478 ns/op	133	1320	1.31	3911	3.39
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_Unmarshal-8	293199	3840 ns/op	133	784	1.13	3920	4.90
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_Marshal-8	922191	1449 ns/op	47	464	1.34	4334	3.12
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_Unmarshal-8	702349	1572 ns/op	47	544	1.10	3301	2.89
Benchmark_Ikea_Marshal-8	1524121	786 ns/op	55	72	1.20	8382	10.92
Benchmark_Ikea_Unmarshal-8	1000000	1069 ns/op	55	160	1.07	5500	6.68
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_Marshal-8	1000000	1010 ns/op	92	192	1.01	9200	5.26
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	1313325	909 ns/op	92	136	1.19	12082	6.68
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_Marshal-8	1387516	880 ns/op	50	160	1.22	6937	5.50
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_Unmarshal-8	1780369	674 ns/op	50	136	1.20	8901	4.96
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_Marshal-8	3733912	324 ns/op	92	96	1.21	34351	3.38
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_Unmarshal-8	3799119	326 ns/op	92	80	1.24	34951	4.08
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_Marshal-8	5116324	235 ns/op	50	64	1.20	25581	3.67
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_Unmarshal-8	4815538	257 ns/op	50	80	1.24	24077	3.21
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_Marshal-8	223473	5345 ns/op	55	440	1.19	1229	12.15
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_Unmarshal-8	124766	9385 ns/op	55	1184	1.17	686	7.93
Benchmark_Mum_Marshal-8	10593858	110 ns/op	48	0	1.17	50850	0.00
Benchmark_Mum_Unmarshal-8	3715300	313 ns/op	48	80	1.16	17833	3.92
Benchmark_Bebop_Marshal-8	5987127	201 ns/op	55	64	1.21	32929	3.15
Benchmark_Bebop_Unmarshal-8	9378084	148 ns/op	55	32	1.40	51579	4.65
Benchmark_FastJson_Marshal-8	1185556	1049 ns/op	133	504	1.24	15862	2.08
Benchmark_FastJson_Unmarshal-8	403963	3135 ns/op	133	1704	1.27	5405	1.84
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_Marshal-8	12572750	90 ns/op	48	0	1.13	60965	0.00
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_Unmarshal-8	5594883	232 ns/op	48	64	1.30	27118	3.63
Benchmark_Musgo_Marshal-8	12882543	86 ns/op	48	0	1.12	62428	0.00
Benchmark_Musgo_Unmarshal-8	3381966	343 ns/op	48	96	1.16	16412	3.58

Totals:

benchmark	iter	time/iter	bytes/op	allocs/op	tt.sec	tt.kb	ns/alloc
Benchmark_MusgoUnsafe_-8	18167633	322 ns/op	96	64	5.86	176153	5.04
Benchmark_Bebop_-8	15365211	350 ns/op	110	96	5.38	169017	3.65
Benchmark_GencodeUnsafe_-8	12123132	412 ns/op	92	144	5.00	111532	2.86
Benchmark_XDR2_-8	11750208	421 ns/op	120	96	4.95	141002	4.39
Benchmark_Mum_-8	14309158	424 ns/op	96	80	6.07	137367	5.30
Benchmark_Musgo_-8	16264509	430 ns/op	96	96	7.01	157749	4.49
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpackgen_-8	9931862	492 ns/op	100	144	4.89	99318	3.42
Benchmark_GotinyNoTime_-8	11664379	496 ns/op	96	96	5.79	111978	5.17
Benchmark_Colfer_-8	9743344	531 ns/op	103	176	5.18	100483	3.02
Benchmark_Gotiny_-8	11224436	540 ns/op	96	112	6.07	107754	4.83
Benchmark_Gogoprotobuf_-8	9350292	549 ns/op	106	160	5.14	99113	3.44
Benchmark_Gencode_-8	8469404	558 ns/op	106	192	4.73	89775	2.91
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpackgen_-8	7533031	650 ns/op	184	176	4.90	138607	3.70
Benchmark_FlatBuffers_-8	6887236	674 ns/op	190	112	4.64	131043	6.02
Benchmark_Msgp_-8	6374296	757 ns/op	194	240	4.83	123661	3.15
Benchmark_Goprotobuf_-8	5086323	1029 ns/op	106	232	5.24	53915	4.44
Benchmark_CapNProto_-8	4317300	1146 ns/op	192	248	4.95	82892	4.62
Benchmark_Hprose2_-8	3855947	1311 ns/op	170	136	5.06	65740	9.64
Benchmark_ShamatonArrayMsgpack_-8	3167885	1554 ns/op	100	296	4.92	31678	5.25
Benchmark_Ikea_-8	2524121	1855 ns/op	110	232	4.68	27765	8.00
Benchmark_ShamatonMapMsgpack_-8	2313325	1919 ns/op	184	328	4.44	42565	5.85
Benchmark_Gob_-8	2320562	1923 ns/op	127	152	4.46	29503	12.65
Benchmark_Protobuf_-8	2253037	1979 ns/op	104	328	4.46	23431	6.04
Benchmark_CapNProto2_-8	2304802	2083 ns/op	192	548	4.80	44252	3.80
Benchmark_Hprose_-8	2165836	2453 ns/op	170	680	5.31	36925	3.61
Benchmark_GoAvro2Binary_-8	1624540	3021 ns/op	94	1008	4.91	15270	3.00
Benchmark_Binary_-8	1327517	3628 ns/op	122	632	4.82	16195	5.74
Benchmark_Bson_-8	1288297	3754 ns/op	220	600	4.84	28342	6.26
Benchmark_VmihailencoMsgpack_-8	1317871	3934 ns/op	200	800	5.18	26357	4.92
Benchmark_FastJson_-8	1589519	4184 ns/op	267	2208	6.65	42535	1.89
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecMsgpack_-8	1394088	4213 ns/op	182	1800	5.87	25372	2.34
Benchmark_EasyJson_-8	1186588	4347 ns/op	303	1056	5.16	35989	4.12
Benchmark_XDR_-8	1171569	4510 ns/op	184	672	5.28	21556	6.71
Benchmark_UgorjiCodecBinc_-8	986164	4579 ns/op	190	1976	4.52	18737	2.32
Benchmark_JsonIter_-8	1022877	4843 ns/op	282	512	4.95	28906	9.46
Benchmark_Json_-8	727934	7561 ns/op	303	591	5.50	22078	12.79
Benchmark_GoAvro2Text_-8	585730	8318 ns/op	267	2104	4.87	15662	3.95
Benchmark_Sereal_-8	557244	8588 ns/op	264	1808	4.79	14711	4.75
Benchmark_GoAvro_-8	427038	13379 ns/op	94	3896	5.71	4014	3.43
Benchmark_SSZNoTimeNoStringNoFloatA_-8	348239	14730 ns/op	110	1624	5.13	3830	9.07

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.