Glossary · Web & App Development
gRPC
Overview
What gRPC is and how it works
gRPC is an open-source remote procedure call (RPC) framework from Google that lets one service call a method on another as if it were local. Service contracts are defined in Protocol Buffers (protobuf), a language-neutral schema that also serializes data into a compact binary format. Communication runs over HTTP/2, which enables multiplexing and bidirectional streaming.
Why gRPC matters
Compared with traditional REST-over-JSON APIs, gRPC's binary payloads and HTTP/2 transport are faster and lighter, and its generated client and server code enforces a strict contract across languages. It supports four call types, including client, server, and bidirectional streaming. The main caveat is that browsers cannot call gRPC directly—they need a proxy layer such as gRPC-Web.
How an agency uses gRPC
For backend development and app backend and API development, gRPC excels at internal, service-to-service communication in microservice architectures, where speed and a shared, strongly typed contract matter most. An in-house team typically pairs gRPC for internal traffic with REST or GraphQL at the public edge, giving each layer the protocol best suited to it.
Where we use it
Related Zen in Tech services
How our team puts gRPC to work in real projects.
FAQ
gRPC — common questions
gRPC vs REST — when should I use each?
Use gRPC for fast, internal service-to-service communication where performance and strict contracts matter, especially in microservices. Use REST for public-facing APIs and browser clients, which gRPC cannot call directly without a proxy. Many systems use both.
Can a web browser call a gRPC service directly?
Not directly. Browsers cannot make standard gRPC calls, so you use gRPC-Web with a proxy such as Envoy to bridge browser clients to gRPC services. Server-to-server gRPC needs no such workaround.
What are Protocol Buffers in gRPC?
Protocol Buffers (protobuf) are gRPC's interface definition language and serialization format. You define services and message types in a .proto file, then generate typed client and server code, and data travels as compact binary instead of text like JSON.
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