# ConnectRPC — Simple Browser-Compatible RPC over HTTP

> ConnectRPC is a slim RPC framework that generates type-safe clients and servers from Protobuf definitions, speaking gRPC, gRPC-Web, and its own HTTP-friendly Connect protocol through a single codebase.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# ConnectRPC — Simple Browser-Compatible RPC over HTTP

## Quick Use
```bash
go install connectrpc.com/connect/cmd/protoc-gen-connect-go@latest
```
```protobuf
// greet/v1/greet.proto
service GreetService {
  rpc Greet(GreetRequest) returns (GreetResponse) {}
}
```
```bash
buf generate
```
Generated server and client code works with `net/http` directly.

## Introduction
ConnectRPC simplifies RPC by building on standard HTTP. It generates type-safe clients and handlers from Protobuf schemas, and each server simultaneously speaks three protocols—Connect (simple HTTP), gRPC, and gRPC-Web—so browsers, mobile apps, and backend services all hit the same endpoint.

## What ConnectRPC Does
- Generates type-safe client and server code from Protobuf service definitions
- Serves the Connect, gRPC, and gRPC-Web protocols on a single port and handler
- Works with `net/http` in Go, requiring no special HTTP server or mux
- Supports unary, server-streaming, client-streaming, and bidirectional streaming RPCs
- Provides interceptors for authentication, logging, and observability middleware

## Architecture Overview
ConnectRPC generates handler and client code via `protoc-gen-connect-go` (Go), `@connectrpc/connect` (TypeScript), or plugins for other languages. Handlers register as standard HTTP handlers, detecting the protocol from each request's Content-Type header. The Connect protocol uses simple HTTP POST with JSON or Protobuf bodies—curl-friendly without special tooling. gRPC and gRPC-Web requests on the same endpoint are handled transparently.

## Installation & Configuration
- Install the Buf CLI and `protoc-gen-connect-go` for Go code generation
- Use `@connectrpc/connect` and `@connectrpc/connect-web` for TypeScript clients
- Register handlers on any `http.ServeMux` or router—no proprietary server needed
- Configure TLS and HTTP/2 via standard Go `net/http` or your preferred reverse proxy
- Add interceptors in the handler or client constructor for cross-cutting concerns

## Key Features
- Three protocols (Connect, gRPC, gRPC-Web) from a single handler implementation
- Browser-native: the Connect protocol works with `fetch()` without a proxy
- curl-friendly: `curl -X POST --json` works against Connect endpoints
- Standard HTTP middleware compatibility (no gRPC-specific interceptor chains)
- Streaming support across all three protocols including bidirectional

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **gRPC-Go** — requires `grpc.NewServer()` and HTTP/2; ConnectRPC uses `net/http` and adds browser support
- **Twirp** — Protobuf-based RPC by Twitch; unary only, no streaming or gRPC compatibility
- **gRPC-Web** — requires an Envoy or grpc-web proxy for browsers; ConnectRPC serves browsers directly
- **tRPC** — TypeScript-native RPC without Protobuf; ConnectRPC provides cross-language schemas
- **REST/OpenAPI** — manual endpoint design; ConnectRPC auto-generates clients and servers from a schema

## FAQ
**Q: Can I call ConnectRPC services from a browser?**
A: Yes. The Connect protocol uses standard HTTP and works natively with `fetch()`. The TypeScript client library handles serialization.

**Q: Do I need Envoy or a special proxy?**
A: No. ConnectRPC handlers serve gRPC, gRPC-Web, and Connect directly on standard HTTP, eliminating the need for a translation proxy.

**Q: Which languages does ConnectRPC support?**
A: Go, TypeScript/JavaScript, Swift, and Kotlin have official client and server libraries. The Connect protocol is simple enough for any HTTP client.

**Q: Is ConnectRPC compatible with existing gRPC services?**
A: Yes. ConnectRPC clients can call standard gRPC servers, and ConnectRPC servers accept standard gRPC clients.

## Sources
- https://github.com/connectrpc/connect-go
- https://connectrpc.com/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-2d7ac20c
Author: Script Depot