# NAME CBOR::Free - Fast CBOR for everyone # SYNOPSIS $cbor = CBOR::Free::encode( $scalar_or_ar_or_hr ); $thing = CBOR::Free::decode( $cbor ) my $tagged = CBOR::Free::tag( 1, '2019-01-02T00:01:02Z' ); # DESCRIPTION This library implements [CBOR](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7049) via XS under a license that permits commercial usage with no “strings attached”. # STATUS This distribution is an experimental effort. Its interface is still subject to change. If you decide to use CBOR::Free in your project, please always check the changelog before upgrading. # FUNCTIONS ## $cbor = encode( $DATA, %OPTS ) Encodes a data structure or non-reference scalar to CBOR. The encoder recognizes and encodes integers, floats, binary and UTF-8 strings, array and hash references, [CBOR::Free::Tagged](https://metacpan.org/pod/CBOR::Free::Tagged) instances, [Types::Serialiser](https://metacpan.org/pod/Types::Serialiser) booleans, and undef (encoded as null). The encoder currently does not handle any other blessed references. %OPTS may be: - `canonical` - A boolean that makes the function output CBOR in [canonical form](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7049#section-3.9). Notes on mapping Perl to CBOR: - The internal state of a defined Perl scalar (e.g., whether it’s an integer, float, binary string, or UTF-8 string) determines its CBOR encoding. - [Types::Serialiser](https://metacpan.org/pod/Types::Serialiser) booleans are encoded as CBOR booleans. Perl undef is encoded as CBOR null. (NB: No Perl value encodes as CBOR undefined.) - Instances of [CBOR::Free::Tagged](https://metacpan.org/pod/CBOR::Free::Tagged) are encoded as tagged values. An error is thrown on excess recursion or an unrecognized object. ## $data = decode( $CBOR ) Decodes a data structure from CBOR. Errors are thrown to indicate invalid CBOR. A warning is thrown if $CBOR is longer than is needed for $data. Notes on mapping CBOR to Perl: - CBOR UTF-8 strings become Perl UTF-8 strings. CBOR binary strings become Perl binary strings. (This may become configurable later.) Note that invalid UTF-8 in a CBOR UTF-8 string is considered invalid input and will thus prompt a thrown exception. - The only map keys that `decode()` accepts are integers and strings. An exception is thrown if the decoder finds anything else as a map key. - CBOR booleans become the corresponding [Types::Serialiser](https://metacpan.org/pod/Types::Serialiser) values. Both CBOR null and undefined become Perl undef. - Tags are IGNORED for now. (This may become configurable later.) ## $obj = tag( $NUMBER, $DATA ) Tags an item for encoding so that its CBOR encoding will preserve the tag number. (Include $obj, not $DATA, in the data structure that `encode()` receives.) # BOOLEANS `CBOR::Free::true()`, `CBOR::Free::false()`, `$CBOR::Free::true`, and `$CBOR::Free::false` are defined as convenience aliases for the equivalent [Types::Serialiser](https://metacpan.org/pod/Types::Serialiser) values. # FRACTIONAL (FLOATING-POINT) NUMBERS Floating-point numbers are encoded in CBOR as IEEE 754 half-, single-, or double-precision. If your Perl is compiled to use “long double” floating-point numbers, you may see rounding errors when converting to/from CBOR. If that’s a problem for you, append an empty string to your floating-point numbers, which will cause CBOR::Free to encode them as strings. # INTEGER LIMITS CBOR handles up to 64-bit positive and negative integers. Most Perls nowadays can handle 64-bit integers, but if yours can’t then you’ll get an exception whenever trying to parse an integer that can’t be represented with 32 bits. This means: - Anything greater than 0xffff\_ffff (4,294,967,295) - Anything less than -0x8000\_0000 (2,147,483,648) Note that even 64-bit Perls can’t parse negatives that are less than \-0x8000\_0000\_0000\_0000 (-9,223,372,036,854,775,808); these also prompt an exception since Perl can’t handle them. (It would be possible to load [Math::BigInt](https://metacpan.org/pod/Math::BigInt) to handle these; if that’s desirable for you, file a feature request.) # ERROR HANDLING Most errors are represented via instances of subclasses of [CBOR::Free::X](https://metacpan.org/pod/CBOR::Free::X), which subclasses [X::Tiny::Base](https://metacpan.org/pod/X::Tiny::Base). # SPEED CBOR::Free is pretty snappy. I find that it keeps pace with or surpasses [CBOR::XS](https://metacpan.org/pod/CBOR::XS), [Cpanel::JSON::XS](https://metacpan.org/pod/Cpanel::JSON::XS), [JSON::XS](https://metacpan.org/pod/JSON::XS), [Sereal](https://metacpan.org/pod/Sereal), and [Data::MessagePack](https://metacpan.org/pod/Data::MessagePack). # AUTHOR [Gasper Software Consulting](http://gaspersoftware.com) (FELIPE) # LICENSE This code is licensed under the same license as Perl itself. # SEE ALSO [CBOR::XS](https://metacpan.org/pod/CBOR::XS) is an older CBOR module on CPAN. It’s got more bells and whistles, so check it out if CBOR::Free lacks a feature you’d like. Note that [its maintainer has abandoned support for Perl versions from 5.22 onward](http://blog.schmorp.de/2015-06-06-stableperl-faq.html), though, and its GPL license limits its usefulness in commercial [perlcc](https://metacpan.org/pod/distribution/B-C/script/perlcc.PL) applications.