[FLINK-11333] First-class support for Protobuf types with evolvable schema

• Type: Sub-task
• Status: Open
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Component/s: API / Type Serialization System
• Labels: auto-unassigned pull-request-available usability
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Tzu-Li (Gordon) Tai
• Created: 15/Jan/19 10:58
• Updated: 23/Aug/23 13:54

Description

I think we have more and more users who are thinking about using Protobuf for their state types.
Right now, Protobuf isn't supported directly in Flink. The only way to use Protobuf for a type is to register it via Kryo: https://ci.apache.org/projects/flink/flink-docs-release-1.7/dev/custom_serializers.html.

Likewise for Avro types, we should be able to natively support Protobuf, having a ProtobufSerializer that handles serialization of Protobuf types. The serializer should also write necessary information in its snapshot, to enable schema evolution for it in the future. For Protobuf, this should almost work out-of-the-box.

Issue Links

• links to: GitHub Pull Request #7598