Introduction
Go (GoLang) is a modern programming language that is gaining popularity. According to various polls and studies (Stack Overflow, HackerRank, etc.), many developers around the world want to learn the Golang language, and 36% of all respondents are going to learn it in the near future (Python is 8% less interesting for respondents). Since it is almost unknown to the broad masses, first we should figure out when it was invented, what is remarkable about it and why so many specialized specialists would like to have it in their arsenal.
What is GoLang? How and why was it developed?
Go development belongs to the American corporation Google. The full name of the language stands for “Google language”. Despite the fact that it is considered young, it was created in 2009. It was originally developed as a tool for company employees, but over time, it began to be used everywhere. According to one of the founders of Golang, Rob Pike, this programming language was designed for newbie employees who just came to the company and know Java, C++, C or Python. It was supposed to be an easy-to-learn alternative that would be easy and even enjoyable to get used to due to the simplification of some aspects of the encoding.
Golang is as efficient as C++, easy to learn like Pascal, and equal to Python in readability. This language is used by many large companies, such as:
- Netflix.
- Twitch.
- Twitter.
- Uber.
- Dropbox.
- IBM and many others.
In the modern world, it is difficult to focus on details, everything runs forward and people can only keep up with life. Therefore, researchers are becoming less and less, and most of the specialists strive to be competent and competitive only in a certain environment. Therefore, knowledge of complex programming languages is isolated cases. Under these conditions, simple languages like Go become widespread, allowing even novice developers to create demanded software. And the level of wages suggests that this approach is currently very adequate.
Golang advantages
The benefits of Go were outlined above. It is beautiful in its brevity and decent performance level. It is quick and efficient to create high-load applications with its help. However, for a deeper understanding of the situation, it is worth understanding each aspect in more detail.
Simple and clear language
Google language has a relatively simple syntax, which makes software development faster when compared to programming in other languages. It is accessible for beginners to understand, and “seasoned” programmers can successfully combine it with analogous languages (Go/Python, for example).
Errors checking
The developers originally planned to implement in their language the possibility of “explicit” error checking. The analogs use an “implicit” method, which does not make it easy to visually track the correctness of the code and program behavior.
The Golang development team has set themselves the following goals to improve error detection and handling:
- The validation and processing remains explicit and easy to read in the code.
- The identification process is made easier by reducing the amount of text in the software that is responsible for this process.
- The processing is simplified, due to which it is used more often.
- The generated code is compatible with the changes and continues to work.
Cross-compilation availability
For the first time ever, cross-platform is truly accessible. Go does not require the programmer to set up complex build environments and libraries; there is no need for any actual and required interpreter versions for specific cases. Previously, it was often required to create a separate server and compile it natively. Now you can safely abandon dev-environments, compile farms, chroot and docker-dev tricks configured in a certain way.
Code purity
This programming language handles most of the complexities of formatting. The code remains clean thanks to the compiler, and all unused variable data is simply perceived as an error that can be easily found and fixed. However, this aspect is not always perceived as a positive feature.
Libraries
Missing functionality in Go? There is an opportunity to refer to many libraries, where there is a solution to any problem. In addition, you can interact with a number of C libraries, opening up new optional horizons.
Memory saving
Not so long ago, programmers faced a serious problem: modern software written in old languages began to take up much more memory due to its size. Go is designed for processors with a large number of cores. It allows you to create code in multitasking mode, not only saving memory, but also increasing the speed and performance of programs.
Built-in testing
Built-in frameworks will allow you to almost completely abandon third-party add-ons, since the existing software testing and profiling are easy to use, understand the processes and learn. This saves a lot of time.
Convenient documentation
The interfaces are basic, minimalistic and intuitive. All accompanying documents for the language are generated automatically, and you can refer to them on the help page as needed.
Static typing
Dynamic typing of documents is familiar and understandable, and at first glance is ideal for use. The Go development team replayed this aspect, forcing programmers to get used to having to assign a type to each variable. At first glance, this is just a tedious formality, but manual systematization of information has proven to be effective.
Code maintenance
The Google programmers were well aware of the complexities involved in maintaining code. Thanks to the simplicity of the syntax, everyone who works and maintains the code can do this without interference. Golang has made it as easy as possible to make changes.
What are the disadvantages of using Golang?
The programming language Go has typical weaknesses similar to its counterparts at the very beginning of development. It is unaccustomed, has peculiar features, for which many booed it. For example, the fact that it does not allow leaving unused functions and variables in the code scared the old-timers of the encoding. When debugging, developers are used to having this need. People are also annoyed by the typing system, the unusual method of error handling, as well as the fact that a low entry threshold gives rise to incompetent programmers who create low-quality code and greatly spoil the reputation of worthy representatives of the profession, taking away the job. It used to be a common complaint that Golang has poor support for Windows, although this issue has been partially resolved at the moment. Due to its nature, it can be more time consuming in certain tasks.
Demand for Golang
Given the list of corporations and companies that have switched to Go over the past five years, it makes no sense to talk about its relevance. It’s up-to-date, easy to use, and great for large-scale projects. Numerous advantages have made it one of the most sought-after programming languages, and it is recognised by such experts as the creators of the State of Software Engineers report.
Many opportunities open up for the programmer who knows Golang, since the demand for a good specialist in this environment is high. The dynamics of salary growth for developers with knowledge of Go has been steadily going up for several years.
Conclusion
Advantages and disadvantages of Golang at a glance are as follows: this programming language is good, but it may not be suitable for someone for solving some problems. There are a number of people who are perfectly fluent in other languages but have a lot of difficulty dealing with Go code. It has individual features and will definitely not stop developing, since at the moment it is the third most popular in the world. Given the demand for it from large companies, it may soon take a leading position against the background of other languages.
Golang allows you to combine all the best from different programming languages, and programs created with its help are high-performance, fast and easy to maintain. NIX Solutions has decent specialists for the implementation of your projects, people who are able to unleash the potential of the programming language to its fullest.