gRPC

gRPC is a modern, open-source, high-performance Remote Procedure Call (RPC) framework that can run in any environment. It uses HTTP/2 for transport, Protocol Buffers (protobuf) for interface definition and serialization, and provides features such as bi-directional streaming, flow control, header compression, and multiplexing.

Problem it solves?

gRPC addresses common distributed-systems challenges such as inefficient text-based payloads, inconsistent service contracts across languages, limited streaming support, and high-latency multiplexing over HTTP/1.1. It also reduces boilerplate by generating code from a single source of truth. In modern microservices architectures, these issues become critical as services frequently communicate with each other. gRPC offers a consistent, high-performance way for services written in different languages to interoperate, without relying on verbose REST/JSON payloads or inconsistent APIs.

How it helps

Protocol Buffers provide compact and efficient binary serialization, which reduces payload size and CPU usage. Leveraging HTTP/2 enables multiplexed requests, lower latency, and native support for client, server, and bidirectional streaming. Generated client and server code enforce a single source of truth for service contracts, reducing integration errors and development overhead.

For microservices, gRPC simplifies service-to-service communication and scales well in polyglot environments. Its bi-directional streaming makes it suitable not just for request/response patterns but also for real-time event-driven use cases such as log aggregation, IoT telemetry, or live data pipelines. While it is not a replacement for event streaming platforms like Kafka, gRPC often complements them by providing fast, low-latency RPC communication at the service layer.

Built-in primitives such as deadlines, metadata, and interceptors support robust, production-grade communication across heterogeneous environments.