Data serialisation formats underpin distributed systems and APIs. Several names are acronyms or coined terms — learn the accepted pronunciation used in the industry.
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How do you pronounce Avro (Apache's data serialisation format)?
Avro is pronounced 'AV-roh' (/ˈævroʊ/), two syllables with stress on the first. The Apache data serialisation format is named after the Avro aircraft company (famous for the Avro Lancaster bomber), reflecting reliability and performance. The short 'a' as in 'have' distinguishes it from 'AYV-roh'. Stress: AV-roh.
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How do you pronounce Thrift (Facebook's cross-language serialisation framework)?
Thrift is pronounced 'THRIFT' (/θrɪft/), a single syllable using the voiceless 'th' as in 'think'. The word means economical use of resources — fitting for a framework designed to efficiently serialise data across multiple programming languages. Facebook (Meta) open-sourced Apache Thrift to enable cross-language service communication. One syllable: THRIFT.
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How do you pronounce MessagePack (efficient binary serialisation format)?
MessagePack is pronounced 'MES-ij-pak' (/ˈmɛsɪdʒpæk/), three syllables with stress on the first. The binary serialisation format is like JSON but faster and smaller — it packs messages into a compact binary format. 'Message' uses the soft 'g' (as 'j'), and 'Pack' rhymes with 'back'. Primary stress: MES-ij-pak.
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How do you pronounce CBOR (Concise Binary Object Representation)?
CBOR is pronounced 'SEE-bor' (/ˈsiːbɔːr/), two syllables treated as a word rather than spelled out letter by letter. The IETF standard for Concise Binary Object Representation is an alternative to JSON and MessagePack. The acronym is vocalised as a word: the C sounds like 'see', giving SEE-bor.
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How do you pronounce Cap'n Proto (ultra-fast data serialisation format)?
Cap'n Proto is pronounced 'KAP-un PROH-toh' (/ˈkæpən ˈproʊtoʊ/). 'Cap'n' is a nautical contraction of 'Captain', with the middle syllable elided — giving 'KAP-un'. 'Proto' means prototype/protocol. The serialisation format created by Kenton Varda (a Protocol Buffers author) is playfully named like a sea captain's title. Stress: KAP-un PROH-toh.