pw_bytes#

Utilities for manipulating binary data

Stable C++ Rust Code Size Impact: 0 to 150 bytes

  • Type-safe: Work with binary data using std::byte.

  • Compile-time: Construct and validate byte arrays at compile time.

  • Convenient: Easily handle endianness, alignment, and byte units.

pw_bytes is a collection of utilities for robust and efficient manipulation of binary data in C++. It provides tools for constructing byte arrays at compile time, handling data alignment, converting endianness, and defining byte quantities with clear, standard units.

#include "pw_bytes/array.h"
#include "pw_bytes/endian.h"
#include "pw_bytes/units.h"

// Clearly define buffer sizes with IEC units.
using namespace pw::bytes::unit_literals;
constexpr size_t kTelemetryPacketMaxSize = 1_KiB;

// Construct byte arrays at compile time.
constexpr auto kHeader = pw::bytes::Array<'P', 'W', 'R', 'D'>;
constexpr uint32_t kPayloadId = 0x12345678;

// Combine data with specified endianness.
constexpr auto kPacketPrefix = pw::bytes::Concat(
    kHeader,
    pw::bytes::CopyInOrder(pw::endian::big, kPayloadId));

// kPacketPrefix now contains:
// {'P', 'W', 'R', 'D', 0x12, 0x34, 0x56, 0x78}

Check out Quickstart & guides for more code samples.

Is it right for you?

pw_bytes is useful any time you need to work with raw binary data, manage memory layout precisely, or ensure type safety at the byte level in embedded C++.

If your project primarily deals with high-level data structures and doesn’t require direct byte manipulation, other Pigweed modules or standard library features might be more suitable.

pw_bytes utilities are designed to be lightweight and can be beneficial even in less resource-constrained environments by improving code clarity and safety when dealing with binary data.

Quickstart & guides

Integrate pw_bytes into your project and learn common use cases

API reference

Detailed description of the pw_bytes interface

Design & roadmap

Learn why pw_bytes is designed the way it is, and upcoming plans

Code size analysis

Understand pw_bytes’s code footprint

Dependencies#

  • pw_preprocessor

  • pw_status

  • pw_span

Zephyr#

To enable pw_bytes for Zephyr add CONFIG_PIGWEED_BYTES=y to the project’s configuration.

Rust API#

pw_bytes’s Rust API is documented in our rustdoc API docs.

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