---
metadata:
  - name: generator
    content: Diplodoc Platform v5.50.6
alternate:
  - https://ydb.tech/docs/en/reference/ydb-sdk/data-formats/format-protobuf.md?version=main
  - https://ydb.tech/docs/ru/reference/ydb-sdk/data-formats/format-protobuf.md?version=main
sourcePath: en/core/reference/ydb-sdk/data-formats/format-protobuf.md
---
> **Documentation Index:** Fetch the complete configuration index at https://ydb.tech/docs/en/llms.txt

# Protobuf (Value) format

This is the default format. Data is returned row by row as [Protobuf](https://protobuf.dev/overview/): each row is a serialized set of named values with their YQL types. The SDK converts values to native types for your language and exposes a type-safe API.

Use this format when you need:

* Transactional ([OLTP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_transaction_processing)) workloads with point reads of individual rows.
* Applications that process small fragments of a table at full row width.
* Native integration with your language’s types.

## YQL type mapping {#type-mapping}

Mapping from YQL types to native language types is implemented in the SDK and depends on the SDK you use. See your SDK’s documentation for the exact mapping.

## Returned schema {#schema}

The schema is a list of columns with their YQL types. That is enough for the SDK to interpret values: given the column type, each value is converted to a native type.

## SDK examples {#sdk-examples}

{% list tabs group=lang %}

- Python

  This format is the default when you run queries through QueryService. The example below shows how to set the result format explicitly.

  ```python
  pool = ydb.QuerySessionPool(driver)

  query = """
      SELECT * FROM example ORDER BY Key LIMIT 100;
  """

  result = pool.execute_with_retries(
      query,
      result_set_format=ydb.QueryResultSetFormat.VALUE,
      schema_inclusion_mode=ydb.QuerySchemaInclusionMode.FIRST_ONLY,
  )

  for result_set in result:
      print(f"Record batch with {len(result_set.rows)} rows and {len(result_set.columns)} columns")
  ```

- Java

  This format is the default when you run queries through QueryService.

{% endlist %}