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Data types

A model that represents an external Protobuf reference. This type can be used to import and utilize Protobuf declarations that are not declared in TypeSpec within TypeSpec sources. When the emitter encounters an Extern, it will insert an import statement for the corresponding Path and refer to the type by Name.

If you have a file called test.proto that declares a package named test and a message named Widget, you can use the Extern type to declare a model in TypeSpec that refers to your external definition of test.Widget. See the example below.

When the TypeSpec definition of Widget is encountered, the Protobuf emitter will represent it as a reference to test.Widget and insert an import for it, rather than attempt to convert the model to an equivalent message.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.Extern<Path, Name>
NameDescription
Paththe relative path to a .proto file to import
Namethe fully-qualified reference to the type this model represents within the .proto file
model Widget is Extern<"path/to/test.proto", "test.Widget">;
NameTypeDescription
_externnever

A type representing a Protobuf map. Instances of this type in models will be converted to the built-in map type in Protobuf.

The key type of a Protobuf map must be any integral type or string. The value type can be any type other than another Map.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.Map<Key, Value>
NameDescription
Keythe key type (any integral type or string)
Valuethe value type (any type other than another map)

None

Details applied to a package definition by the [@package](./decorators#

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.PackageDetails
NameTypeDescription
name?stringThe package’s name.

By default, the package’s name is constructed from the namespace it is applied to.
options?Record<string | boolean | numeric>The package’s top-level options.

See the Protobuf Language Guide - Options for more information.

Currently, only string, boolean, and numeric options are supported.

The streaming mode of an operation. One of:

  • Duplex: both the input and output of the operation are streaming.
  • In: the input of the operation is streaming.
  • Out: the output of the operation is streaming.
  • None: neither the input nor the output are streaming.

See the [@stream](./decorators#

enum TypeSpec.Protobuf.StreamMode
NameValueDescription
DuplexBoth the input and output of the operation are streaming. Both the client and service will stream messages to each
other until the connections are closed.
InThe input of the operation is streaming. The client will send a stream of events; and, once the stream is closed,
the service will respond with a message.
OutThe output of the operation is streaming. The client will send a message to the service, and the service will send
a stream of events back to the client.
NoneNeither the input nor the output are streaming. This is the default mode of an operation without the @stream
decorator.

An unsigned 32-bit integer that will use the fixed32 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Always four bytes. More efficient than uint32 if values are often greater than 228.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.fixed32

An unsigned 64-bit integer that will use the fixed64 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Always eight bytes. More efficient than uint64 if values are often greater than 256.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.fixed64

A signed 32-bit integer that will use the sfixed32 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Always four bytes.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.sfixed32

A signed 64-bit integer that will use the sfixed64 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Always eight bytes.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.sfixed64

A signed 32-bit integer that will use the sint32 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Uses variable-length encoding. These more efficiently encode negative numbers than regular int32s.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.sint32

A signed 64-bit integer that will use the sint64 encoding when used in a Protobuf message.

Uses variable-length encoding. These more efficiently encode negative numbers than regular int64s.

scalar TypeSpec.Protobuf.sint64

Any value.

This model references google.protobuf.Any from google/protobuf/any.proto.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.WellKnown.Any
NameTypeDescription
_externnever

An empty message.

This model references google.protobuf.Empty from google/protobuf/empty.proto.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.WellKnown.Empty
NameTypeDescription
_externnever

A latitude and longitude.

This model references google.type.LatLng from google/type/latlng.proto.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.WellKnown.LatLng
NameTypeDescription
_externnever

A timestamp.

This model references google.protobuf.Timestamp from google/protobuf/timestamp.proto.

model TypeSpec.Protobuf.WellKnown.Timestamp
NameTypeDescription
_externnever