As I explained in previous articles, we are working on building LiveAPI, an auto-API doc generation tool. LiveAPI's backend is in Golang, and I'm discovering the unique and cool features of Golang.
For those who don't know, Golang (Go) is a programming language designed at Google in 2009. It is syntactically similar to C.
Before working on Golang projects, I primarily used Node.js and Python web frameworks. For a beginner switching to Golang from another domain, it can be a little difficult initially, but once you practice and gain expertise, you won't leave.
My first Golang project was to convert a Python CLI tool, Glee, to Golang.
We found Python to be slower and maintaining a single compiled CLI binary to be very difficult, the binary sometimes not compatible with Mac OS. These and other issues forced us to switch to Golang. Here is a Reddit post on the story and the issues behind the switch.
In this article, I will explain the unique features in Golang that attracted me to it.
1. Goroutines - Lightweight Concurrency
func main() { go sayHello("World") // runs concurrently time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) } func sayHello(name string) { fmt.Printf("Hello, %s!\n", name) }
Think of goroutines like tiny workers that can do tasks independently. They're much lighter than traditional threads - you can create thousands of them without a performance hit.
2. Channels - Built-in Communication
func main() { messages := make(chan string) go func() { messages <- "ping" }() msg := <-messages fmt.Println(msg) }
Channels are like pipes that let goroutines communicate safely. Imagine two people passing notes through a tube - one writes and puts it in, the other takes it out.
3. Defer - Cleanup Made Simple
func readFile() { file, err := os.Open("test.txt") defer file.Close() // Will run when function exits }
Defer is like setting a reminder for cleanup tasks. It's similar to writing a post-it note saying "don't forget to close the file" right when you open it.
4. Interface Implementation - Implicit Contracts
type Writer interface { Write([]byte) (int, error) } type ConsoleWriter struct{} func (cw ConsoleWriter) Write(data []byte) (int, error) { return fmt.Println(string(data)) }
Go's interfaces are satisfied implicitly - if a type has the right methods, it automatically implements the interface. It's like joining a club: you don't need to formally declare membership; if you can do what the club requires, you're automatically in.
5. Multiple Return Values - Native Error Handling
func divide(a, b float64) (float64, error) { if b == 0 { return 0, errors.New("cannot divide by zero") } return a / b, nil } func main() { result, err := divide(10, 0) if err != nil { fmt.Println("Error:", err) return } fmt.Println("Result:", result) }
Multiple return values make error handling natural and explicit in Go. It's like getting both a package and a receipt when shopping - you can check if everything is okay before proceeding. This pattern encourages developers to handle errors properly.
These are just a few features I like in Go. There are also others, like single executable binaries, faster performance, type inference, built-in testing support, and cross-compilation.
If you're making resolutions for 2025, add Golang to your list. You won't regret it. Thanks for reading! If you want to learn Golang by contributing to an open-source project, check out glee and Lama2.
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