Go in 100 Seconds

Fireship

7 Oct 202102:29

Summary

TLDRGo, often referred to as a modern 'C for the 21st century,' is a statically typed, compiled language known for its simplicity, efficiency, and fast compile times. Created by Google in 2007 with contributions from computing legends like Ken Thompson, Go was released as open source in 2012. It excels in building high-performance server-side applications, with notable projects like Docker and CockroachDB under its belt. The language offers type inference for concise syntax, a robust package system for easy code reuse, and features like goroutines for effective concurrency. This brief overview highlights Go's essentials, from installation and basic syntax to its powerful standard library, encouraging viewers to dive into Go programming for their next project.

Takeaways

😀 Go is a statically typed, compiled language created at Google in 2007 by legendary programmers like Ken Thompson
👉 Described as 'C for the 21st century', it is optimized for performance, simplicity and efficiency
🏎 It compiles to machine code so it is very fast in execution compared to interpreted languages
⏱ But it is also famous for extremely fast compile times using advanced dependency analysis
🌐 Has inbuilt support for key things like math, networking, I/O channels needed for server-side apps
📦 Heavily used by infra companies to build tools like Docker, CockroachDB, Dgraph etc
🔢 Strongly typed but uses type inference to enable concise, practical syntax
📦 Easy dependency & package management enables code reusability across projects
🏃‍♂️ Supports concurrent execution using lightweight threads called goroutines
👍 Concise syntax like C++ but with memory safety and no pointer arithmetic

Q & A

What is Go and why is it compared to C?
-Go is a statically typed, compiled programming language often described as 'C for the 21st century'. It's compared to C due to its efficiency and simplicity but with modern features like garbage collection, dynamic typing, safety, and concurrency.
Who created Go and when?
-Go was created at Google in 2007 by developers including Ken Thompson, known for inventing the B and C programming languages. The first stable version, 1.0, was released as open source software in 2012.
What are some notable tools built with Go?
-Notable tools built with Go include Docker, CockroachDB, and Dgraph, which are widely used in server-side applications for their high performance.
Why is Go considered to have fast compile times?
-Go has extremely fast compile times due to innovations in dependency analysis, which streamline the compilation process compared to other languages.
How does Go handle type inference?
-Although Go is statically typed, it performs type inference to allow for concise and practical syntax, reducing the verbosity typically associated with statically typed languages.
What is a Go module and its purpose?
-A Go module is a collection of packages that are tracked together, enabling easy management of dependencies. It simplifies importing and exporting code between projects.
How does one start a new Go project?
-To start a new Go project, install Go, create an empty directory, add a .go file with 'package main' at the top, declare a main function, and then use 'go build' to compile the executable.
What is the significance of the 'fmt' package in Go?
-The 'fmt' package in Go is part of the standard library and is used for formatted I/O, such as printing lines to the standard output, making it essential for basic input and output operations.
How does Go enhance safety compared to C or C++?
-Go enhances safety by disallowing pointer arithmetic, which is often a source of dangerous and unpredictable behavior in C or C++. This makes Go programs more secure and less prone to errors.
What are goroutines and how do they support concurrency?
-Goroutines are functions that can run concurrently with other functions. They are lightweight and managed by the Go runtime, allowing efficient use of multiple CPU threads for parallelism.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Go Programming

This paragraph introduces Go, a statically typed, compiled language often referred to as 'C for the 21st century' due to its popularity in building high-performance server-side applications. Notable projects like Docker, CockroachDB, and Dgraph were developed with Go, which was created at Google in 2007 by pioneers including Ken Thompson. Released as open-source in 2012, Go emphasizes simplicity and efficiency, leading to fast compile times and performance advantages over interpreted languages. The language supports type inference for concise syntax, and includes a robust package and module system for easy code import/export. Beginners can start with Go by installing the language, creating a .go file, and using the go build command to compile executable binaries. Go's syntax is streamlined compared to C/C++, with features like variable declaration, arrays, maps, loops, control flow, and pointers without arithmetic. It also offers concurrency through goroutines, enabling parallel function execution.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Statically Typed

A statically typed language, like Go, requires variable types to be declared explicitly and remain fixed, which means the type of a variable is known at compile time. This characteristic contributes to Go's performance and reliability, as it allows for early detection of type errors during compilation rather than at runtime. The video highlights Go's static typing as a feature that, despite its rigidity, contributes to the language's efficiency and safety, especially when compared to dynamically typed languages where types are inferred at runtime.

💡Compiled Language

Go is a compiled language, meaning its source code is translated into machine code by a compiler before it is executed by a computer. This process contributes to Go's high performance, as the resulting machine code runs directly on the hardware without the need for an interpreter. The video emphasizes Go's fast compile times, which are a notable feature of the language, making the development process more efficient.

💡Concurrency

Concurrency in Go is managed through goroutines, which are lightweight threads managed by the Go runtime. This allows Go programs to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, making efficient use of multi-core processors. The video mentions concurrency as a key feature, illustrating Go's modern approach to parallel execution, which is crucial for building scalable and high-performance applications.

💡Ken Thompson

Ken Thompson is highlighted in the video as one of the creators of Go and is a legendary figure in the world of computing, known for his work on Unix and the C programming language. His involvement in Go's development lends the language credibility and signifies its foundation on proven principles of software design and system programming.

💡Package and Module System

Go's package and module system facilitates code reuse and management by allowing developers to organize code into packages and track dependencies through modules. This system simplifies the process of building and maintaining large codebases by providing clear namespaces and versioning for external dependencies. The video underlines this feature as part of Go's appeal, making it easier to manage and share code across projects.

💡Type Inference

Type inference in Go allows the compiler to deduce the type of a variable from its initial value, simplifying the syntax and reducing the verbosity of the code. This feature makes Go statically typed yet concise, blending the safety of static typing with the ease of writing found in dynamically typed languages. The script references type inference as a factor that contributes to Go's practical and developer-friendly syntax.

💡Go Routines

Go routines are functions that run concurrently with other functions in Go. They are a core part of Go's concurrency model, allowing for efficient parallel execution of code. The video points out that go routines enable the use of multiple threads on a CPU, showcasing Go's capability to handle concurrent operations and enhance the performance of applications.

💡Memory Safety

Memory safety in Go is mentioned in the context of pointers. Go allows the use of pointers to reference memory locations but restricts pointer arithmetic, a common source of errors and security vulnerabilities in languages like C and C++. This design decision enhances the safety and reliability of Go programs by preventing common programming mistakes that lead to unpredictable behavior.

💡Go Build Command

The 'go build' command is a tool provided by the Go programming language to compile Go packages and dependencies into a binary executable. This command is central to the Go development workflow, as highlighted in the video, which describes the process of compiling a Go program. The efficiency and speed of the 'go build' command are emphasized as advantages of using Go, especially in comparison to interpreted languages.

💡Open Source

Go was released as open source software in 2012, meaning its source code is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. The video touches on this aspect of Go, underlining its community-driven development and the collaborative ecosystem that has grown around it. Open sourcing Go has facilitated widespread adoption and contribution, leading to a rich set of libraries and tools for developers.

Highlights

Go is a statically typed, compiled language, often described as 'C for the 21st century'.

Popular for high-performance server-side applications, Go powers tools like Docker, CockroachDB, and Dgraph.

Created at Google in 2007 by industry legends including Ken Thompson.

Version 1.0 was released as open-source software in 2012.

Designed for simplicity and efficiency, leading to its name 'Go'.

Compiles down to machine code, typically outperforming interpreted languages.

Famous for extremely fast compile times due to dependency analysis innovations.

Performs type inference for concise and practical syntax.

Features a package and module system for easy code import and export.

Getting started with Go involves creating a '.go' file and writing a simple program.

Supports a standard library of core packages for common requirements.

Syntax is a concise version of C/C++, with variable declaration and type inference.

Supports arrays, maps, loops, and control flow like other programming languages.

Allows storing the memory address of a value using pointers, but disallows pointer arithmetic.

Supports concurrency with goroutines, enabling functions to run simultaneously on multiple CPU threads.