start toying with a protobuf here

.gitignore

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 *.swp
 go.sum
 go.mod
+*.pb.go

Makefile

@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ all:
 	@echo "Run: make redomod    # to remake the go files"
 	@echo
 
+redo: clean proto goimports vet
+
+vet:
+	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
+	@echo this go plugin package builds okay
+
 redomod: goimports
 	rm -f go.*
 	GO111MODULE= go mod init
@@ -10,3 +16,9 @@ redomod: goimports
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
+
+proto:
+	autogenpb --proto widget.proto
+
+clean:
+	rm -f go.* *.pb.go

widget.proto

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+// playing around with ideas here
+
+package main;
+
+import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto"; // Import the well-known type for Timestamp
+
+message Size  {
+        int64             width        = 1;
+        int64             height       = 2;
+}
+
+message Location  {
+        int64             x            = 1;
+        int64             y            = 2;
+}
+
+message Tree {
+        Widget            parent       = 1;
+        repeated Widget   children     = 2;
+}
+
+message Widget {
+        int64             id           = 1;
+        string            name         = 2;
+        Size              size         = 3;
+        Location          location     = 4;
+        string            color        = 5;
+}
+
+message Widgets {
+        string            uuid         = 1;  // `autogenpb:uuid:0331fcd7-3c8c-43e4-be1b-77db6a6bc58c`
+        string            version      = 2;  // `autogenpb:version:v1`
+        repeated Widget   Widgets      = 3;
+}