Descriptor for this message. All instances are expected to return the same descriptor,
and for generated types this will be an explicitly-implemented member, returning the
same value as the static property declared on the type.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-07 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ccode\u003eIMessage\u003c/code\u003e interface is used for Protocol Buffers messages, providing essential functions for serialization.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIt includes a \u003ccode\u003eDescriptor\u003c/code\u003e property that provides metadata about the message, ensuring all instances of a given message have an identical descriptor.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ccode\u003eCalculateSize()\u003c/code\u003e method returns the size in bytes required to serialize the message, important for efficient data handling.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ccode\u003eMergeFrom()\u003c/code\u003e method facilitates merging data from a coded input stream into the current message.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003e\u003ccode\u003eWriteTo()\u003c/code\u003e allows writing message data to a coded output stream, while numerous extension methods provide a variety of ways to interact with the message, such as merging, writing, and converting.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Interface IMessage (3.27.1)\n\nVersion latestkeyboard_arrow_down\n\n- [3.27.1 (latest)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.IMessage)\n- [3.23.0](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/3.23.0/Google.Protobuf.IMessage)\n- [3.15.8](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/3.15.8/Google.Protobuf.IMessage) \n\n public interface IMessage\n\nInterface for a Protocol Buffers message, supporting\nbasic operations required for serialization.\n\nNamespace\n---------\n\n[Google.Protobuf](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf)\n\nAssembly\n--------\n\nGoogle.Protobuf.dll\n\nProperties\n----------\n\n### Descriptor\n\n MessageDescriptor Descriptor { get; }\n\nDescriptor for this message. All instances are expected to return the same descriptor,\nand for generated types this will be an explicitly-implemented member, returning the\nsame value as the static property declared on the type.\n\nMethods\n-------\n\n### CalculateSize()\n\n int CalculateSize()\n\nCalculates the size of this message in Protocol Buffer wire format, in bytes.\n\n### MergeFrom(CodedInputStream)\n\n void MergeFrom(CodedInputStream input)\n\nMerges the data from the specified coded input stream with the current message.\n\n**Remarks** \nSee the user guide for precise merge semantics.\n\n### WriteTo(CodedOutputStream)\n\n void WriteTo(CodedOutputStream output)\n\nWrites the data to the given coded output stream.\n\nExtension Methods\n-----------------\n\n[MessageExtensions.IsInitialized(IMessage)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_IsInitialized_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeDelimitedFrom(IMessage, Stream)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeDelimitedFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_IO_Stream_) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, ByteString)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_Google_Protobuf_ByteString_) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, ReadOnlySequence\\\u003cbyte\\\u003e)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_Buffers_ReadOnlySequence_System_Byte__) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, byte\\[\\])](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_Byte___) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, byte\\[\\], int, int)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_Byte___System_Int32_System_Int32_) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, Stream)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_IO_Stream_) \n[MessageExtensions.MergeFrom(IMessage, ReadOnlySpan\\\u003cbyte\\\u003e)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_MergeFrom_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_ReadOnlySpan_System_Byte__) \n[MessageExtensions.ToByteArray(IMessage)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_ToByteArray_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_) \n[MessageExtensions.ToByteString(IMessage)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_ToByteString_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_) \n[MessageExtensions.WriteDelimitedTo(IMessage, Stream)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_WriteDelimitedTo_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_IO_Stream_) \n[MessageExtensions.WriteTo(IMessage, IBufferWriter\\\u003cbyte\\\u003e)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_WriteTo_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_Buffers_IBufferWriter_System_Byte__) \n[MessageExtensions.WriteTo(IMessage, Stream)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_WriteTo_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_IO_Stream_) \n[MessageExtensions.WriteTo(IMessage, Span\\\u003cbyte\\\u003e)](/dotnet/docs/reference/Google.Protobuf/latest/Google.Protobuf.MessageExtensions#Google_Protobuf_MessageExtensions_WriteTo_Google_Protobuf_IMessage_System_Span_System_Byte__)"]]
