Install nanopb with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• nanopb_generator
• nanopb_generator.py
• protoc-gen-nanopb

Project history

The upstream license text credits Petteri Aimonen and dates the project to 2011. The GitHub repository used for development was created on 2015-04-29, and the official site points development and bug reporting to GitHub while keeping the documentation and release downloads on jpa.kapsi.fi.

The core design is deliberately embedded-first: pure C runtime, generated `.pb.c` and `.pb.h` files from `.proto` definitions, static sizing through `.options` files, no required malloc, split encoder/decoder files so projects can compile only the pieces they need, and callback streams for messages larger than available RAM.

Adoption history

GitHub API data fetched on 2026-07-01 showed 5,454 stars and 1,027 forks, strong adoption for a niche embedded serialization library. The repository also includes Zephyr-related integration files, examples, tests, Bazel/CMake/Meson/Swift package metadata, and generator tooling, reflecting use across several embedded build systems.

Homebrew's formula JSON generated on 2026-07-01 reported stable version 0.4.9.1, an old formula name of `nanopb-generator`, 1,082 installs over 365 days, and 740 installs-on-request over 365 days. That pattern fits a toolchain component: many installs are explicit because developers need the generator and protoc integration for firmware or cross-platform protocol work.

How it is used

A typical user writes Protocol Buffer schemas in `.proto` files, runs `nanopb_generator.py` or `protoc-gen-nanopb` to produce C headers and sources, then compiles `pb_common.c`, `pb_encode.c`, and/or `pb_decode.c` into firmware. `.options` files set maximum field sizes so generated structs can stay static.

Package nerds use the Homebrew package mostly for the host-side generator, not because macOS is the target runtime. The generated C is then carried into firmware, RTOS, or embedded Linux builds where normal Google protobuf runtimes would be too large or too allocation-heavy.

Why package nerds care

nanopb is one of the standard answers when someone wants Protocol Buffers on a microcontroller without dragging in a large runtime. It keeps protobuf's schema compatibility story while making the code size, allocation behavior, and generated C output legible to embedded build systems.

Timeline

• 2011: upstream license text credits the original nanopb copyright to Petteri Aimonen.
• 2015-04-29: nanopb/nanopb repository created on GitHub.
• 2025-08-14: Nanopb 0.4.9.1 release published.
• 2026-07-01: Homebrew formula JSON listed stable version 0.4.9.1 and 1,082 installs over 365 days.

Related projects

• Google Protocol Buffers
• Zephyr RTOS
• grpcio-tools
• protoc

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/nanopb/nanopb
• https://api.github.com/repos/nanopb/nanopb/releases?per_page=5
• https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula/nanopb.json
• https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nanopb
• https://github.com/nanopb/nanopb
• https://jpa.kapsi.fi/nanopb/
• https://jpa.kapsi.fi/nanopb/docs/concepts.html
• https://jpa.kapsi.fi/nanopb/docs/index.html