Upgrade to protobuf 3.25.9 / 25.6

AgraVator · AgraVator · commit a6683747a7e6 · 2026-08-10T15:10:29.000Z
- Synchronize buildscripts/make_dependencies.* to Protobuf 25.6 and Abseil 20230802.1
- Align Kokoro Windows CI batch scripts to Protobuf 25.6
- Update README.md and example project build files to Protobuf 3.25.9
- Exclude transitive protobuf 4.x dependencies to enforce strict 3.25.9 resolution
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ For protobuf-based codegen integrated with the Maven build system, you can use
       <artifactId>protobuf-maven-plugin</artifactId>
       <version>0.6.1</version>
       <configuration>
-        <protocArtifact>com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.8:exe:${os.detected.classifier}</protocArtifact>
+        <protocArtifact>com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.9:exe:${os.detected.classifier}</protocArtifact>
         <pluginId>grpc-java</pluginId>
         <pluginArtifact>io.grpc:protoc-gen-grpc-java:1.83.1:exe:${os.detected.classifier}</pluginArtifact>
       </configuration>
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ plugins {
 
 protobuf {
   protoc {
-    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.8"
+    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.9"
   }
   plugins {
     grpc {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ plugins {
 
 protobuf {
   protoc {
-    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.8"
+    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.25.9"
   }
   plugins {
     grpc {
diff --git a/buildscripts/kokoro/windows32.bat b/buildscripts/kokoro/windows32.bat
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cd "%WORKSPACE%"
 
 SET TARGET_ARCH=x86_32
 SET FAIL_ON_WARNINGS=true
-SET PROTOBUF_VER=35.1
+SET PROTOBUF_VER=25.6
 SET PKG_CONFIG_PATH=%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper32\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\lib\\pkgconfig
 SET VC_PROTOBUF_LIBS=/LIBPATH:%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper32\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\lib
 SET VC_PROTOBUF_INCLUDE=%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper32\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\include
diff --git a/buildscripts/kokoro/windows64.bat b/buildscripts/kokoro/windows64.bat
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ cd "%WORKSPACE%"
 
 SET TARGET_ARCH=x86_64
 SET FAIL_ON_WARNINGS=true
-SET PROTOBUF_VER=35.1
+SET PROTOBUF_VER=25.6
 SET PKG_CONFIG_PATH=%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper64\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\lib\\pkgconfig
 SET VC_PROTOBUF_LIBS=/LIBPATH:%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper64\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\lib
 SET VC_PROTOBUF_INCLUDE=%ESCWORKSPACE%\\grpc-java-helper64\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\build\\protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\\include
diff --git a/buildscripts/make_dependencies.bat b/buildscripts/make_dependencies.bat
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 choco install -y pkgconfiglite --allow-empty-checksums
 choco install -y openjdk --version=17.0
 set PATH=%PATH%;"c:\Program Files\OpenJDK\jdk-17\bin"
-set PROTOBUF_VER=35.1
-set ABSL_VERSION=20250127.1
+set PROTOBUF_VER=25.6
+set ABSL_VERSION=20230802.1
 set CMAKE_NAME=cmake-3.26.3-windows-x86_64
 
 if not exist "protobuf-%PROTOBUF_VER%\build\Release\" (
diff --git a/buildscripts/make_dependencies.sh b/buildscripts/make_dependencies.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 # Build protoc
 set -evux -o pipefail
 
-PROTOBUF_VERSION=35.1
-ABSL_VERSION=20250127.1
+PROTOBUF_VERSION=25.6
+ABSL_VERSION=20230802.1
 
 # ARCH is x86_64 bit unless otherwise specified.
 ARCH="${ARCH:-x86_64}"
diff --git a/examples/example-alts/build.gradle b/examples/example-alts/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     // grpc-alts transitively depends on grpc-netty-shaded, grpc-protobuf, and grpc-stub
diff --git a/examples/example-debug/build.gradle b/examples/example-debug/build.gradle
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-debug/pom.xml b/examples/example-debug/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-dualstack/build.gradle b/examples/example-dualstack/build.gradle
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-dualstack/pom.xml b/examples/example-dualstack/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-gauth/build.gradle b/examples/example-gauth/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 def protocVersion = protobufVersion
 
 
diff --git a/examples/example-gauth/pom.xml b/examples/example-gauth/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protobuf.version>3.25.8</protobuf.version>
+    <protobuf.version>3.25.9</protobuf.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-gcp-csm-observability/build.gradle b/examples/example-gcp-csm-observability/build.gradle
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 def openTelemetryVersion = '1.64.0'
 def openTelemetryPrometheusVersion = '1.64.0-alpha'
 
diff --git a/examples/example-gcp-observability/build.gradle b/examples/example-gcp-observability/build.gradle
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-hostname/build.gradle b/examples/example-hostname/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-hostname/pom.xml b/examples/example-hostname/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-jwt-auth/build.gradle b/examples/example-jwt-auth/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 def protocVersion = protobufVersion
 
 dependencies {
diff --git a/examples/example-jwt-auth/pom.xml b/examples/example-jwt-auth/pom.xml
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protobuf.version>3.25.8</protobuf.version>
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protobuf.version>3.25.9</protobuf.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-oauth/build.gradle b/examples/example-oauth/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protobufVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protobufVersion = '3.25.9'
 def protocVersion = protobufVersion
 
 dependencies {
diff --git a/examples/example-oauth/pom.xml b/examples/example-oauth/pom.xml
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protobuf.version>3.25.8</protobuf.version>
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protobuf.version>3.25.9</protobuf.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-opentelemetry/build.gradle b/examples/example-opentelemetry/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 def openTelemetryVersion = '1.64.0'
 def openTelemetryPrometheusVersion = '1.64.0-alpha'
 
diff --git a/examples/example-orca/build.gradle b/examples/example-orca/build.gradle
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ java {
 }
 
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-reflection/build.gradle b/examples/example-reflection/build.gradle
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ java {
 }
 
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-servlet/build.gradle b/examples/example-servlet/build.gradle
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ java {
 }
 
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}",
diff --git a/examples/example-tls/build.gradle b/examples/example-tls/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/examples/example-tls/pom.xml b/examples/example-tls/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <grpc.version>1.84.0-SNAPSHOT</grpc.version><!-- CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION -->
-    <protoc.version>3.25.8</protoc.version>
+    <protoc.version>3.25.9</protoc.version>
     <!-- required for jdk9 -->
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/examples/example-xds/build.gradle b/examples/example-xds/build.gradle
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ java {
 // Feel free to delete the comment at the next line. It is just for safely
 // updating the version in our release process.
 def grpcVersion = '1.84.0-SNAPSHOT' // CURRENT_GRPC_VERSION
-def protocVersion = '3.25.8'
+def protocVersion = '3.25.9'
 
 dependencies {
     implementation "io.grpc:grpc-protobuf:${grpcVersion}"
diff --git a/interop-testing/build.gradle b/interop-testing/build.gradle
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ dependencies {
     runtimeOnly libraries.opencensus.impl,
             libraries.netty.tcnative,
             libraries.netty.tcnative.classes,
-            libraries.opentelemetry.exporter.prometheus, // For xds interop client
             project(':grpc-googleapis'),
             project(':grpc-grpclb'),
             project(':grpc-rls')
+    runtimeOnly(libraries.opentelemetry.exporter.prometheus) { // For xds interop client
+        exclude group: 'com.google.protobuf', module: 'protobuf-java'
+    }
     testImplementation testFixtures(project(':grpc-api')),
             testFixtures(project(':grpc-core')),
             project(':grpc-inprocess'),
diff --git a/xds/build.gradle b/xds/build.gradle
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation project(':grpc-inprocess')
     testImplementation libraries.opentelemetry.api
     testImplementation libraries.opentelemetry.sdk.testing
-    testImplementation libraries.cel.compiler
+    testImplementation(libraries.cel.compiler) {
+        exclude group: 'com.google.protobuf', module: 'protobuf-java'
+    }
     testImplementation testFixtures(project(':grpc-core')),
             testFixtures(project(':grpc-api')),
             testFixtures(project(':grpc-util'))
