Go programming¶

Prompt¶

What is the recommended way to install Go for development on WSL?

Response¶

Thought for 1m 18s

Short answer: Install the official Linux Go toolchain inside WSL from go.dev, keep your code on the WSL filesystem, and use a version manager (mise or asdf) only if you need per-project pinning.

Recommended (WSL, Ubuntu 24.04)¶

Use the official tarball. Avoid apt for Go because it lags behind upstream.
Keep projects under /home/<you>/..., not /mnt/c, for I/O performance. Go+2Go+2

Install Go 1.25.3 (current stable)¶

# deps for cgo and downloads
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y build-essential curl ca-certificates

# pick arch
case "$(dpkg --print-architecture)" in
  amd64) GOARCH=amd64; SUM=0335f314b6e7bfe08c3d0cfaa7c19db961b7b99fb20be62b0a826c992ad14e0f;;
  arm64) GOARCH=arm64; SUM=1d42ebc84999b5e2069f5e31b67d6fc5d67308adad3e178d5a2ee2c9ff2001f5;;
  *) echo "unsupported arch"; exit 1;;
esac
VER=1.25.3
cd /tmp
curl -fsSLO "https://go.dev/dl/go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"
echo "${SUM}  go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz" | sha256sum -c -

# install
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"

# PATH and GOPATH
grep -q '/usr/local/go/bin' ~/.bashrc || {
  printf '\nexport PATH=/usr/local/go/bin:$HOME/go/bin:$PATH\n' >> ~/.bashrc
}
mkdir -p "$HOME/go"
exec $SHELL -l

# verify
go version
go env GOROOT GOPATH CGO_ENABLED

Notes:

Checksums come from the official downloads page. Verify if you change version/arch. Go
build-essential provides gcc for cgo when needed. Go
Install on WSL’s Linux FS; don’t mix with Windows Go MSI. Microsoft Learn

Quick test¶

mkdir -p ~/src/hello && cd ~/src/hello
go mod init example.com/hello
cat > main.go <<'EOF'
package main
import "fmt"
func main(){ fmt.Println("ok") }
EOF
go run .

If you need per-project versions¶

Use mise or asdf. Both keep the binary under WSL and auto-switch versions in each repo.

Option A: mise¶

# install mise (see docs for the installer you prefer)
curl https://mise.jdx.dev/install.sh | sh
exec $SHELL -l
mise use -g go@1.25.3        # global
# or per project:
cd ~/src/hello
mise use go@1.25.3

Supports .go-version and .tool-versions files. mise.jdx.dev+1

Option B: asdf¶

git clone https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf.git ~/.asdf --branch v0.14.0
echo '. "$HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh"' >> ~/.bashrc && exec $SHELL -l
asdf plugin add golang https://github.com/asdf-community/asdf-golang.git
asdf install golang 1.25.3
asdf global golang 1.25.3

Plugin is maintained by asdf-community. You can pin per-repo with .tool-versions. asdf-vm.com+1

Why this setup¶

Upstream toolchain gives latest fixes and performance. Install steps are the canonical method. Go
WSL FS avoids slow cross-OS file I/O. Microsoft Learn+1
Version manager only when you need multiple Go versions or reproducible per-repo pins. mise.jdx.dev+1

Sources: Go install docs; Go downloads (1.25.3 and checksums); Microsoft WSL filesystem guidance; mise docs; asdf + golang plugin; cgo requirements. Go+5Go+5Go+5

Prompt¶

Is that better than installing Go via Snap on Ubuntu? Here is the context and output:

$ go --help
Command 'go' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo snap install go # version 1.25.3, or
sudo apt install golang-go # version 2:1.21~2
sudo apt install gccgo-go # version 2:1.21~2
See 'snap info go' for additional versions.
$ snap info go
name: go
summary: The Go programming language
publisher: Canonical✓
store-url: <https://snapcraft.io/go>
contact: <https://bugs.launchpad.net/go-snap/+filebug>
license: BSD-3-Clause
description: |
Go is an open source programming language that enables the production of simple, efficient and
reliable software at scale.
snap-id: Md1HBASHzP4i0bniScAjXGnOII9cEK6e
channels:
latest/stable: 1.25.3 2025-10-14 (10971) 55MB classic
latest/candidate: ↑
latest/beta: ↑
latest/edge: 1.25-ecc06f0 2025-04-09 (10896) 117MB classic
1.25/stable: 1.25.3 2025-10-14 (10971) 55MB classic
...

Response¶

Thought for 42s

Yes. For WSL dev, prefer the upstream tarball (or a version manager). Snap is OK for a quick single global Go, but it’s less controllable.

Why tarball > snap on WSL¶

Exact version, no forced auto-updates; easy to switch/pin with mise/asdf. Go
No dependence on systemd or snapd. Snap needs systemd enabled in WSL. Microsoft Learn
Snap updates by default; you must explicitly schedule or hold them to avoid surprise version changes. Snapcraft
Snap can run multiple instances only via “parallel installs,” which is extra ceremony and not always smooth with classic snaps. Snapcraft

If you still want snap¶

# 1) Ensure WSL has systemd
# /etc/wsl.conf
[boot]
systemd=true
# Then: wsl --shutdown  # from Windows PowerShell, restart Ubuntu

# 2) Install Go via snap (classic confinement, pinned track)
sudo snap install go --classic --channel=1.25/stable

# 3) Prevent surprise upgrades
sudo snap refresh --hold=60d go         # or set a refresh schedule
snap refresh --time

Notes: the go snap uses classic confinement. Auto-refresh can be held or scheduled, but it’s global snapd behavior. Ubuntu Documentation+1

Summary¶

Use tarball or mise/asdf for reproducible, per-project Go on WSL. Go
Use snap only if you want one global Go and accept snapd management. Pin the channel and hold/schedule updates. Snapcraft+1

Prompt¶

Please reformat so that each command to be run individually is placed in its own Markdown code block. Here is the original snippet:

# deps for cgo and downloads

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y build-essential curl ca-certificates

# pick arch

case "$(dpkg --print-architecture)" in
amd64) GOARCH=amd64; SUM=0335f314b6e7bfe08c3d0cfaa7c19db961b7b99fb20be62b0a826c992ad14e0f;;
arm64) GOARCH=arm64; SUM=1d42ebc84999b5e2069f5e31b67d6fc5d67308adad3e178d5a2ee2c9ff2001f5;;
\*) echo "unsupported arch"; exit 1;;
esac
VER=1.25.3
cd /tmp
curl -fsSLO "https://go.dev/dl/go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"
echo "${SUM} go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz" | sha256sum -c -

# install

sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"

# PATH and GOPATH

grep -q '/usr/local/go/bin' ~/.bashrc || {
printf '\\nexport PATH=/usr/local/go/bin:$HOME/go/bin:$PATH\\n' >> ~/.bashrc
}
mkdir -p "$HOME/go"
exec $SHELL -l

# verify

go version
go env GOROOT GOPATH CGO_ENABLED

Response¶

Thought for 21s

Reformatted. Run each block separately.

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y build-essential curl ca-certificates

case "$(dpkg --print-architecture)" in
  amd64) GOARCH=amd64; SUM=0335f314b6e7bfe08c3d0cfaa7c19db961b7b99fb20be62b0a826c992ad14e0f;;
  arm64) GOARCH=arm64; SUM=1d42ebc84999b5e2069f5e31b67d6fc5d67308adad3e178d5a2ee2c9ff2001f5;;
  *) echo "unsupported arch"; exit 1;;
esac

VER=1.25.3

cd /tmp

curl -fsSLO "https://go.dev/dl/go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"

echo "${SUM}  go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz" | sha256sum -c -

sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go

sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${VER}.linux-${GOARCH}.tar.gz"

grep -q '/usr/local/go/bin' ~/.bashrc || {
  printf '\nexport PATH=/usr/local/go/bin:$HOME/go/bin:$PATH\n' >> ~/.bashrc
}

mkdir -p "$HOME/go"

exec $SHELL -l

go version

go env GOROOT GOPATH CGO_ENABLED

Prompt¶

“go.mod file not found in current directory.” Can you explain?

Response¶

Thought for 1m 38s

You launched the debugger in ~/go (your GOPATH) where there is no go.mod. Delve runs go build .; with modules on, Go requires a go.mod in the current or parent dir, so the build fails.

Fix¶

Run from a module directory, or create one.
Point VS Code’s debug "program" to the package dir that contains main.

Minimal commands¶

# verify where you are and module state
pwd
go env GOPATH GO111MODULE

# go to your project (not $HOME/go) e.g.
cd ~/exercises

# create a module at the project root (once)
go mod init example.com/exercises

# put main files under a package dir, then test-run
cd src/start/01-essentials
go run .

VS Code launch.json¶

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Go: Launch Package",
      "type": "go",
      "request": "launch",
      "mode": "auto",
      "program": "${fileDirname}"
    }
  ]
}

Avoid¶

Opening $HOME/go as the workspace. Use it only for tools (bin/, pkg/).
GOPATH mode. If you must, set GO111MODULE=off and place code under $GOPATH/src/..., but this is legacy.

Prompt¶

It is confusing because I selected Ctrl+F5 “Run Without Debugging.”

Response¶

Thought for 1m 14s

Ctrl+F5 still uses the Go debug adapter (Delve) and your launch configuration. It tried to build ~/go (GOPATH tools dir) where there’s no go.mod, so it failed. “Run Without Debugging” ≠ go run .; it’s a launch of the configured package without attaching breakpoints.

Fix fast¶

Open the module root (the folder that has go.mod) as the VS Code workspace. Do not open $HOME/go.
Point the launch "program" at the package that contains main, or run from the terminal.

Minimal terminal path¶

cd ~/exercises/src/start/01-essentials
go run .

If no module yet¶

cd ~/exercises
go mod init example.com/exercises

VS Code `.vscode/launch.json`¶

Use the current file’s folder so Ctrl+F5 builds the right package:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Go: Launch Package",
      "type": "go",
      "request": "launch",
      "mode": "auto",
      "program": "${fileDirname}"
    }
  ]
}

Why you saw Delve¶

VS Code sends noDebug: true to the Go extension, but Delve still launches to run the program; it still performs go build . in the directory resolved by "program". No browsing used.

Prompt¶

Is there a standard formatting style and tool for Go? A linter? Is there a standard tool for scaffolding a project (like Cookiecutter)? What about building and installing (like Make or Just)? I prefer official or standard tools if possible. The same question applies to tests (e.g., JUnit in Java).

Additionally, I am looking for a guide for a new Go programmer: what must I absolutely know? Please write a short article that includes the first book to read, advanced recommended books, must-know libraries (e.g., CLI apps, REST, databases, data processing like NumPy/Pandas), must-read blogs, and newsletters, podcasts, and YouTube channels—that is, the culture and ecosystem a Go programmer is expected to know.

Response¶

Thought for 5m 49s

Yes. Use the built-ins:

Formatter: gofmt (and go fmt), optionally goimports to fix imports too. Go Packages+2Go.dev+2
Linter: go vet is official. Add Staticcheck or golangci-lint for broader checks. Go Packages+2Staticcheck+2
Project scaffolding: none official. Start with go mod init; use cobra-cli only if you want CLI scaffolding. Go.dev+1
Build & install: go build, go install, go run. For installing tools: go install pkg@version. Reddit+1
Testing: stdlib testing + go test; fuzzing, coverage, race detector, benchmarks are built in. Go.dev+2Go.dev+2

Go, fast-start guide for experienced devs¶

Tooling you will actually use

# format
go fmt ./...
go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@latest
goimports -w .

# vet + linters
go vet ./...
go install honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck@latest
staticcheck ./...
go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@latest
golangci-lint run

# build / run / install
go build ./cmd/myapp
go run ./cmd/myapp
go install ./cmd/myapp

# tests (unit, race, coverage, bench)
go test ./... -race -cover
go test -bench=. -benchmem ./...

Refs: formatting, vet, test, install. Stack Overflow+3Go Packages+3Go Packages+3

Minimal, idiomatic project layout

myapp/
  go.mod
  cmd/myapp/main.go
  internal/…        # not importable outside this module
  pkg/…             # optional; public libraries

Create with:

go mod init example.com/myorg/myapp

See “How to Write Go Code” and workspaces (go work) for multi-module repos. Internal packages are a language feature. Go.dev+2Go.dev+2

Must-know language and stdlib pieces

Concurrency: goroutines, channels, select, context.Context; errgroup for structured concurrency. Medium
HTTP: net/http first; only add a router when you need it. Official Gin tutorial shows a full REST flow. Prefer chi or gin if you want a framework. alexedwards.net+2Go.dev+2
DB: database/sql + a driver (Postgres: pgx). Consider sqlc for type-safe queries; ORMs like GORM/Ent are popular but optional. GORM+3Go Packages+3Go Packages+3
Profiles & races: net/http/pprof, go test -race. Go Packages+1
Libraries worth knowing (batteries after stdlib)

CLI: spf13/cobra, urfave/cli. Generator: cobra-cli. GitHub+2cli.urfave.org+2
Routers/Web: go-chi/chi, gin-gonic/gin. go-chi.io+1
SQL: jackc/pgx, sqlc. ORMs: GORM, Ent. Entgo+3Go Packages+3docs.sqlc.dev+3
Numerics/Data: gonum, data frames with go-gota/gota (no pandas-equivalent in stdlib). Go Packages+1
Testing beyond basics

Unit tests in _test.go with testing.
Fuzz tests: go test supports fuzzing natively.
Benchmarks: BenchmarkXxx(b *testing.B).
Coverage: -cover and HTML with -coverprofile. Go.dev+1
Learning path

First read: Effective Go + the official “How to Write Go Code.” Go.dev+1
First book: The Go Programming Language (Donovan & Kernighan). Amazon
Next books: Concurrency in Go (Cox-Buday); 100 Go Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (Harsanyi). O'Reilly Media+1
Keep current

Official Go Blog for features and release notes.
Golang Weekly newsletter.
Go Time podcast.
GopherCon talks on YouTube. YouTube+3Go.dev+3golangweekly.com+3
What is “standard” vs “community”

Standard: go fmt/gofmt, go vet, go build/install/test, testing, modules/workspaces, pprof, race detector. Go.dev+6Go.dev+6Go Packages+6
Community defaults: goimports, Staticcheck, golangci-lint, cobra/chi/gin, pgx/sqlc, gonum. Use as needed; none are mandated. Go Packages+7Go Packages+7Staticcheck+7

If you want, I’ll generate a skeleton repo with go.mod, cmd/, internal/, a Makefile wrapper, and CI steps for fmt, vet, staticcheck, golangci-lint, and go test -race.

Prompt¶

Is Make the typical orchestrator for large Go projects? What do Kubernetes and Helm use? Yes—please generate the skeleton repo you mentioned.

Response¶

Thought for 1m 52s

Use the Go toolchain for build/test. For orchestration, Makefiles are the common standard in large Go repos. Kubernetes builds with make (Bazel was removed in 2021). Helm’s dev guide uses make test. Google Groups+2Go Packages+2

Below is a minimal, idiomatic skeleton repo with Make-based tasks and CI.

Create project

mkdir -p myapp && cd myapp
go mod init example.com/you/myapp
go mod edit -go=1.25

Source layout

mkdir -p cmd/myapp internal/hello .github/workflows

cat > cmd/myapp/main.go <<'EOF'
package main

import (
 "fmt"

 "example.com/you/myapp/internal/hello"
)

func main() {
 fmt.Println(hello.Msg())
}
EOF

cat > internal/hello/hello.go <<'EOF'
package hello

func Msg() string { return "ok" }
EOF

cat > internal/hello/hello_test.go <<'EOF'
package hello

import "testing"

func TestMsg(t *testing.T) {
 if got := Msg(); got != "ok" {
  t.Fatalf("want ok, got %q", got)
 }
}
EOF

Makefile (fmt, vet, lint, test, build, run)

cat > Makefile <<'EOF'
SHELL := /usr/bin/env bash
BIN   := myapp
PKG   := ./cmd/$(BIN)

.PHONY: help tools fmt vet lint test race cover build run tidy ci

help:
 @printf "targets: tools fmt vet lint test race cover build run tidy ci\n"

tools: ## install dev tools
 go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@latest
 go install honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck@latest
 go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@latest

fmt:
 go fmt ./...
 goimports -w .

vet:
 go vet ./...

lint:
 golangci-lint run

test:
 go test ./...

race:
 go test -race ./...

cover:
 go test -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
 go tool cover -func=coverage.out

build:
 go build -o bin/$(BIN) $(PKG)

run:
 go run $(PKG)

tidy:
 go mod tidy

ci: fmt vet lint test
EOF

Optional linter config

cat > .golangci.yml <<'EOF'
run:
  timeout: 3m
linters:
  enable:
    - govet
    - staticcheck
    - gosimple
    - ineffassign
    - errcheck
    - gofmt
EOF

GitHub Actions CI

cat > .github/workflows/ci.yml <<'EOF'
name: ci
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
        with:
          go-version: '1.25.x'
      - run: go version
      - run: make tools
      - run: make ci
EOF

Ignore build artifacts

cat > .gitignore <<'EOF'
bin/
coverage.out
EOF

Try it

make tools
make run
make test
make build

What’s “official/standard”¶

Format: gofmt / go fmt. Go Packages+1
Linter: go vet in std; add Staticcheck or golangci-lint. Go Packages
Tests: testing + go test (unit, fuzz, bench, coverage). Go Packages+1
Build/Install: go build, go install, go run. (No external build tool required.)
Orchestration: no official tool, but Makefiles are the norm in big Go projects; Kubernetes uses make; Helm uses make in its dev flow. Google Groups+1

If you prefer releases, wire in GoReleaser later; it integrates cleanly with Make. goreleaser.com+1

Prompt¶

What does go install do?

Response¶

Thought for 22s

It compiles a main package and puts the executable in $GOBIN (or $(go env GOPATH)/bin if GOBIN is empty). Non-main packages are just built and cached.

Key points¶

Local binary install

go install ./cmd/myapp      # writes $GOBIN/myapp

Tool install (module-aware, preferred)

go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@latest
go install honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck@2024.1.1

The @version form resolves modules and installs without touching your go.mod.

Where it goes
If GOBIN is set: $GOBIN/.

Else: $(go env GOPATH)/bin/. Add to PATH:

export PATH="$(go env GOBIN 2>/dev/null || echo $(go env GOPATH)/bin):$PATH"

What it does not do
It does not “install libraries” into your project. With modules, compiled archives go to the build/module cache.
go get no longer installs binaries; use go install pkg@version instead.

Quick checks¶

go env GOBIN GOPATH
which myapp

Prompt¶

But what does go install with no arguments do? [build flags] [packages] are optional. By default now, what does go install do without a module init? Here is go help install:

go help install
usage: go install [build flags] [packages]

Install compiles and installs the packages named by the import paths.

Executables are installed in the directory named by the GOBIN environment
variable, which defaults to $GOPATH/bin or $HOME/go/bin if the GOPATH
environment variable is not set. Executables in $GOROOT
are installed in $GOROOT/bin or $GOTOOLDIR instead of $GOBIN.

If the arguments have version suffixes (like @latest or @v1.0.0), "go install"
builds packages in module-aware mode, ignoring the go.mod file in the current
directory or any parent directory, if there is one. This is useful for
installing executables without affecting the dependencies of the main module.
To eliminate ambiguity about which module versions are used in the build, the
arguments must satisfy the following constraints:

- Arguments must be package paths or package patterns (with "..." wildcards).
  They must not be standard packages (like fmt), meta-patterns (std, cmd,
  all), or relative or absolute file paths.

- All arguments must have the same version suffix. Different queries are not
  allowed, even if they refer to the same version.

- All arguments must refer to packages in the same module at the same version.

- Package path arguments must refer to main packages. Pattern arguments
  will only match main packages.

- No module is considered the "main" module. If the module containing
  packages named on the command line has a go.mod file, it must not contain
  directives (replace and exclude) that would cause it to be interpreted
  differently than if it were the main module. The module must not require
  a higher version of itself.

- Vendor directories are not used in any module. (Vendor directories are not
  included in the module zip files downloaded by 'go install'.)

If the arguments don't have version suffixes, "go install" may run in
module-aware mode or GOPATH mode, depending on the GO111MODULE environment
variable and the presence of a go.mod file. See 'go help modules' for details.
If module-aware mode is enabled, "go install" runs in the context of the main
module.

When module-aware mode is disabled, non-main packages are installed in the
directory $GOPATH/pkg/$GOOS\_$GOARCH. When module-aware mode is enabled,
non-main packages are built and cached but not installed.

Before Go 1.20, the standard library was installed to
$GOROOT/pkg/$GOOS\_$GOARCH.
Starting in Go 1.20, the standard library is built and cached but not installed.
Setting GODEBUG=installgoroot=all restores the use of
$GOROOT/pkg/$GOOS\_$GOARCH.

For more about build flags, see 'go help build'.

For more about specifying packages, see 'go help packages'.

## See also: go build, go get, go clean

Response¶

Thought for 49s

Default: go install with no args targets the package in the current directory. Outcome depends on context.

What happens¶

Where you run it	Package kind	Result
Inside a module (`go.mod` found)	`main`	Builds and writes the binary to $GOBIN (or `$GOPATH/bin`).
Inside a module	non-`main`	Builds and caches only. Nothing installed.
Outside any module and under `$GOPATH/src/...` (GOPATH mode)	`main`	Installs the binary to $GOBIN.
Outside any module and under `$GOPATH/src/...`	non-`main`	Installs archives to `$GOPATH/pkg/$GOOS_$GOARCH`.
Outside any module and not under `$GOPATH/src/...`	any	Fails with “cannot find main module; see ‘go help modules’”.

Special case¶

go install path@version works anywhere. It ignores local go.mod and installs the tool’s binary to $GOBIN.

Quick checks¶

go env GOMOD GO111MODULE GOPATH GOBIN   # module on/off and install dirs

go list -f '{{.Name}}' .                # shows 'main' or a library package

No browsing used.

Prompt¶

Is there any interpreter for Go, similar to IPython?

Response¶

Thought for 1m 4s

No official interpreter. Go is compiled. Use third-party REPLs or notebooks if you want IPython-style interactivity.

Options¶

Yaegi: mature Go interpreter and REPL. Good for scripting and embedding. Install: go install github.com/traefik/yaegi/cmd/yaegi@latest → run yaegi. GitHub+1
gomacro: feature-rich interpreter with generics and macros; fast REPL. Install: go install github.com/cosmos72/gomacro@latest → run gomacro. GitHub+1
gore: lightweight REPL; author now recommends gomacro/yaegi for speed. Install: go install github.com/x-motemen/gore/cmd/gore@latest. GitHub
Jupyter: use gophernotes kernel (runs Go interactively; uses gomacro under the hood). Quick install (Linux):

go install github.com/gopherdata/gophernotes@v0.7.5
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/jupyter/kernels/gophernotes
cd ~/.local/share/jupyter/kernels/gophernotes
cp "$(go env GOPATH)"/pkg/mod/github.com/gopherdata/gophernotes@v0.7.5/kernel/* .
sed "s|gophernotes|$(go env GOPATH)/bin/gophernotes|" < kernel.json.in > kernel.json

Then start Jupyter and pick “Go”. GitHub

Caveats¶

No official REPL in the Go toolchain; go run compiles then runs. Go+1
Interpreters have incomplete coverage and edge-case gaps; expect occasional incompatibilities with complex packages. Prefer compiled go run/go test for production behavior. GitHub

If you want, I can add a repl/ target to your Makefile that installs yaegi and drops you into a Go REPL.

Prompt¶

Gophernotes uses Gomacro, but the last tagged release of Gomacro was in 2018. Should I be concerned?

Response¶

Thought for 1m 6s

Accurate but incomplete: gomacro’s last tagged release is 2018, yet the project is still active and updated for Go 1.18+; pkg docs show 2025 updates. gophernotes depends on gomacro and last released in 2022. For something maintained, prefer Yaegi (REPL) or GoNB (Jupyter, compile-per-cell).

What to use¶

Terminal REPL: Yaegi. Mature, active.

go install github.com/traefik/yaegi/cmd/yaegi@latest
yaegi

Source: project README and package docs. GitHub+1

Jupyter notebooks: GoNB. Modern kernel that compiles each cell, so full Go compatibility, CGO works; actively released.

go install github.com/janpfeifer/gonb@latest
gonb --install

Notes: Windows via WSL or Docker. GitHub

Legacy notebook path: gophernotes (uses gomacro). Works but slower cadence; plugin limits on Windows.

go install github.com/gopherdata/gophernotes@v0.7.5

GitHub

On your “2018” observation¶

gomacro tags stop at v2.7 (2018), but the repo and modules are active and docs show 2025 timestamps; README requires Go 1.18+. Use @latest to pull current head. GitHub+2Go Packages+2

Summary: pick Yaegi for a maintained REPL; pick GoNB for maintained notebooks; use gophernotes+gomacro only if you need its interpreter-specific features.

Prompt¶

I only use JupyterLab. What is the best option?

Response¶

Thought for 51s

Best: GoNB kernel. It compiles each cell with the standard Go toolchain, works in JupyterLab, and is supported on WSL. GitHub

Install on WSL (Ubuntu)¶

# prerequisite: Go installed and on PATH
go version

# install kernel + helpers
go install github.com/janpfeifer/gonb@latest
go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@latest
go install golang.org/x/tools/gopls@latest

# register the kernel with Jupyter
gonb --install

# verify and launch
jupyter kernelspec list | grep -i gonb
jupyter lab

GoNB’s README documents gonb --install, JupyterLab support, and WSL usage. GitHub

Quick alternative (no local setup)¶

docker pull janpfeifer/gonb_jupyterlab:latest
docker run -it --rm -p 8888:8888 -v "$PWD":/notebooks janpfeifer/gonb_jupyterlab:latest

This image bundles JupyterLab + GoNB. GitHub

Why not gophernotes?¶

It’s interpreter-based via gomacro and has slower releases; works, but not my first choice for JupyterLab today on WSL. Install steps show the gomacro dependency and manual kernelspec copy. GitHub

Notes¶

JupyterLab runs any registered kernel; GoNB is a kernel that follows the Jupyter protocol. docs.jupyter.org

Prompt¶

Is Go object-oriented?

Response¶

Thought for 17s

Yes, but not class-based. Go is object-oriented via types + methods + interfaces, not via classes or inheritance.

Core facts¶

Types with methods: any named type can have methods (value or pointer receiver).
Encapsulation: package-level; identifiers starting with a capital letter are exported.
Polymorphism: interfaces with structural typing (no implements clause); satisfied implicitly.
Composition: embedding promotes fields/methods; no subclassing or overriding.
No features: no classes, inheritance, method/operator overloading, or required constructors (use NewT functions).

Minimal example¶

package main

import "fmt"

type Shaper interface{ Area() float64 }        // interface (structural)
type Rect struct{ W, H float64 }               // concrete type

func (r Rect) Area() float64 { return r.W * r.H } // method

// Embedding = composition, not inheritance
type LabeledRect struct {
    Rect
    Label string
}

func main() {
    var s Shaper = Rect{W: 3, H: 2} // implicit interface satisfaction
    fmt.Println(s.Area())           // 6

    lr := LabeledRect{Rect{3, 2}, "A"}
    fmt.Println(lr.Area(), lr.Label) // promoted method, field access
}

Method-set notes (succinct)¶

Method on value receiver is callable on both values and pointers.
Method on pointer receiver requires a pointer (except when addressable; compiler auto-takes address).
Interfaces hold a pair (concrete value, method set); use type assertions or type switches when needed.

Summary: Go supports OO through interfaces and composition, favoring decoupling over inheritance.

Prompt¶

Is this similar to Rust? Please compare and contrast. What are the different types of “typing”?

Response¶

Thought for 29s

Short answer: Similar goals. Different mechanics. Go = structural interfaces + GC + CSP. Rust = nominal traits + ownership + zero-cost generics.

Go vs Rust — OO and typing¶

Abstraction unit
Go: interfaces are structural; any type that has the methods “implements” automatically.
Rust: traits are nominal; a type implements a trait only if there is an explicit impl.
Dispatch
Go: dynamic via interface values (runtime itab). No static specialization from interfaces.
Rust: static by default with monomorphization of generics; dynamic via dyn Trait trait objects.
Composition vs inheritance
Go: no inheritance; embedding promotes methods/fields.
Rust: no inheritance; compose data with struct, behavior with multiple trait impls and blanket impls.
Encapsulation
Go: package-scoped; export by Capitalization.
Rust: module-scoped pub with fine-grained visibility (pub(crate), pub(super)).
Generics
Go: since 1.18; constraints are interfaces; no specialization; type inference is local.
Rust: mature generics; rich trait bounds (HRTBs, associated types), specialization mostly unstable.
Memory model
Go: garbage collected; simple ownership; potential pause/latency trade-offs.
Rust: affine ownership + borrow checker; no GC; stricter APIs but predictable performance.
Errors
Go: error values + if err != nil; panic for exceptional.
Rust: Result<T,E> + ?; panic! for exceptional; exhaustive handling enforced by types.
Concurrency
Go: goroutines + channels + select; CSP style, runtime scheduler, data race detector.
Rust: threads + channels; async/await with executors (Tokio, async-std); Send/Sync traits enforce safety.
Tooling
Go: go build/install/test, gofmt, go vet.
Rust: Cargo for everything, rustfmt, clippy, cargo test/bench.

Typing taxonomy (concise)¶

Static vs dynamic: checked at compile time (Rust, Go) vs runtime (Python).
Strong vs weak: coercions disallowed vs silently allowed. Go and Rust are strong.
Nominal vs structural: names decide compatibility (Rust traits, most OO) vs shape decides (Go interfaces, TypeScript structural types).
Duck typing: dynamic structural typing (“if it quacks”).
Gradual typing: optional static types atop dynamic core (Python+typing, TypeScript).
Parametric polymorphism: generics (Vec<T>, []T).
Ad-hoc polymorphism: overloaded behavior by type classes/traits (Rust traits), interfaces (Go).
Subtyping: subtype values usable where supertypes expected (classic OO). Go lacks nominal subtyping; Rust uses trait bounds, not class subtyping.
Linear/affine types: values used at most once; basis for Rust ownership (affine).
Type inference: compiler deduces types. Rust: strong local inference with annotated item boundaries; Go: limited local inference (:=).
Lifetimes/regions: static reasoning about reference validity (Rust only).
Nullability: Rust encodes with Option<T>; Go has nil for pointers/maps/slices/channels/interfaces; no non-null types in the language.

When to pick which¶

Go: fast build times, simple concurrency, small teams, services where GC is acceptable and ergonomics matter.
Rust: performance, tight latency, embedded, FFI-heavy, or correctness where ownership checks save you from whole classes of bugs.

If you want, I can add parallel examples of the same small service in both languages showing interfaces vs traits, static vs dynamic dispatch, and error handling.

Prompt¶

Can you explain GC and CSP as used by Go?

Response¶

Thought for 52s

GC = Go’s garbage collector. CSP = Communicating Sequential Processes.

GC (Go)¶

Purpose: reclaim heap memory automatically.
Design: concurrent, tri-color mark-and-sweep with write barriers and pacing; mostly non-moving; low-pause by running alongside mutators. Tuning via GOGC, profiles via pprof. tip.golang.org

CSP (in Go)¶

Idea: structure concurrency as independent processes that communicate over channels, not shared mutable state. Go adopts this via goroutines + channels + select. It’s CSP-inspired, not a formal CSP implementation. Go.dev+1
Memory model: channel send/receive and other sync ops establish happens-before edges between goroutines. Go.dev

Minimal CSP-style snippet¶

ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
defer cancel()

work := make(chan int)
go func() {                   // producer
 for i := 0; i < 3; i++ { work <- i }
 close(work)
}()

sum := make(chan int)
go func() {                   // consumer
 s := 0
 for v := range work { s += v }
 sum <- s
}()

select {                      // coordination
case v := <-sum:
 fmt.Println(v)            // 3
case <-ctx.Done():
}

Primary sources¶

Go GC guide. tip.golang.org
“Share Memory by Communicating” + codewalk. Go.dev+1
Go Memory Model. Go.dev
Hoare, Communicating Sequential Processes. ACM Digital Library

Prompt¶

Can you include Python, Java, and JavaScript in the Go vs. Rust comparison regarding typing and object orientation? I would like a table to show the differences and similarities at a glance.

Response¶

Thought for 48s

Yes. Here’s a compact matrix comparing Go, Rust, Python, Java, JavaScript on typing and OO.

Language	When types checked	Strength	Nominal vs structural	OO model	Inheritance	Polymorphism	Generics	Memory mgmt	Nullability	Error handling	Gradual typing
Go	Static (compile-time)	Strong	Structural interfaces; concrete types are nominal	Types + methods; composition via embedding	None (composition only)	Interfaces (dynamic via `interface{}`); parametric via generics	Yes (1.18+, parametric; no specialization)	GC (concurrent, non-moving)	`nil` for ptr/map/slice/chan/iface	`error` values; `panic` for exceptional	No
Rust	Static	Strong	Nominal traits and types	Traits + structs; composition	None (no class inheritance)	Static via traits (monomorphization); dynamic via `dyn Trait`	Yes (monomorphized, powerful bounds)	Ownership/borrowing, no GC	`Option<T>` (no null refs)	`Result<T,E>`; `panic!` exceptional	No
Python	Dynamic (runtime)	Strong	Nominal classes at runtime; structural via `typing.Protocol`	Class-based; multiple inheritance	Yes (multiple)	Duck typing; runtime dynamic dispatch	Yes (static-only hints; runtime erased)	Refcount + cycle GC	`None` (Optional in hints)	Exceptions	Yes (optional hints since 3.5)
Java	Static	Strong	Nominal classes/interfaces	Class-based	Single inheritance + multiple interfaces	Subtyping + dynamic dispatch; interfaces	Yes (erased, invariant by default)	GC (moving, generational)	`null`; `Optional<T>` idiom	Checked + unchecked exceptions	No
JavaScript	Dynamic	Weak/loose (implicit coercions)	Structural/duck by convention	Prototype-based; `class` is sugar	Prototype chains (no classical class inheritance)	Duck typing; dynamic dispatch	No (use TypeScript for static generics)	GC	`null` and `undefined`	Exceptions	N/A (TypeScript adds it)

Quick notes¶

Static vs dynamic: Rust/Go/Java compile-time; Python/JS runtime.
Strong vs weak: Rust/Go/Java/Python disallow silent coercions; JS allows many ('2' * 3 → 6).
Nominal vs structural: Rust/Java need explicit impl/implements; Go interfaces match by method shape; Python gains structural typing in static analysis via Protocol.
OO style: Go and Rust avoid class inheritance; prefer interfaces/traits + composition.
Generics: Rust is monomorphized (zero-cost). Java erases. Go is parametric without specialization. Python’s typing is for static analyzers only.
Memory: Rust = ownership, no GC. Others use GC.
Nullability: Rust types encode absence with Option<T>; others have null-ish values.
Errors: Rust models errors in types; Go uses error returns; Java uses exceptions; Python/JS use exceptions.

Typing taxonomy (minimal)¶

Static/Dynamic: when checks occur.
Strong/Weak: whether the language implicitly coerces across types.
Nominal/Structural: name-based compatibility vs shape-based.
Duck typing: dynamic structural typing.
Gradual typing: optional static types on a dynamic core.
Parametric polymorphism: generics.
Ad-hoc polymorphism: traits/interfaces/type classes.
Subtyping: substitutability within a type hierarchy.

No browsing used.

Prompt¶

Is there a standard project skeleton generator for Go (like Copier/Cookiecutter or cargo-generate)?

Response¶

Thought for 12s

No official generator. The Go “standard” is: go mod init, add cmd/ and internal/, then build with go build and test with go test. Generators exist, but none are canonical.

Practical options¶

Cobra (CLI apps): scaffolds a Cobra-based CLI.

go install github.com/spf13/cobra-cli@latest
cobra-cli init myapp
cd myapp
cobra-cli add serve

Buffalo (web): full-stack web scaffolder.

go install github.com/gobuffalo/cli/cmd/buffalo@latest
buffalo new myapp && cd myapp

Kratos (microservices):

go install github.com/go-kratos/kratos/cmd/kratos/v2@latest
kratos new myapp && cd myapp

Goa (design-first codegen):

go install goa.design/goa/v3/cmd/goa@latest
# write design/*.go, then:
goa gen <module>

Generic template tools (not Go-specific): cookiecutter, copier, boilr.

Useful add-ons¶

gotests (generate table-driven tests from code):

go install github.com/cweill/gotests/gotests@latest
gotests ./... -all -w

goreleaser (release config scaffold):

go install github.com/goreleaser/goreleaser/v2@latest
goreleaser init

Recommendation¶

Use the minimal layout you already have (go.mod, cmd/, internal/, Makefile). Add cobra-cli only for CLIs. Pick Buffalo/Kratos/Goa only if you adopt those frameworks.

Prompt¶

Should we convert our started project to a Copier or Cookiecutter template so it can be reused, or are there better templates already available?

Response¶

Thought for 45s

Short answer: Yes. Make a thin Copier template for your house style. There’s no official Go generator; community templates exist but aren’t canonical. Keep it minimal and updateable.

When to template¶

You want repeatable: go mod init, layout, Make targets, CI, lint config.
You expect many near-identical services/CLIs.
You want copier update to roll fixes into children.

When not to¶

One-off app or heavy framework choice (then use that tool’s generator: cobra-cli, kratos, buffalo).

Minimal Copier template (drop-in)¶

go-template/
├─ copier.yml
├─ .gitignore.jinja
├─ README.md.jinja
├─ go.mod.jinja
├─ cmd/{{ bin_name }}/main.go.jinja
├─ internal/hello/hello.go
├─ internal/hello/hello_test.go
├─ Makefile
├─ .golangci.yml
└─ .github/workflows/ci.yml.jinja

copier.yml

_min_copier_version: "7.0.0"

project_name:
  type: str
  default: "myapp"

module_path:
  type: str
  help: "Go module path (e.g., github.com/acme/{{ project_name }})"
  default: "example.com/you/{{ project_name }}"

go_version:
  type: str
  default: "1.25"

bin_name:
  type: str
  default: "{{ project_name }}"

use_github_actions:
  type: bool
  default: true

license:
  type: str
  choices: ["MIT", "Apache-2.0", "None"]
  default: "MIT"

go.mod.jinja

module {{ module_path }}

go {{ go_version }}

cmd/{{ bin_name }}/main.go.jinja

package main

import (
 "fmt"

 "{{ module_path }}/internal/hello"
)

func main() { fmt.Println(hello.Msg()) }

internal/hello/hello.go

package hello

func Msg() string { return "ok" }

internal/hello/hello_test.go

package hello

import "testing"

func TestMsg(t *testing.T) {
 if got := Msg(); got != "ok" { t.Fatalf("want ok, got %q", got) }
}

Makefile

SHELL := /usr/bin/env bash
BIN   := {{ bin_name }}
PKG   := ./cmd/$(BIN)

.PHONY: tools fmt vet lint test race cover build run tidy ci

tools:
 go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@latest
 go install honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck@latest
 go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@latest

fmt:   ; go fmt ./... && goimports -w .
vet:   ; go vet ./...
lint:  ; golangci-lint run
test:  ; go test ./...
race:  ; go test -race ./...
cover: ; go test -coverprofile=coverage.out ./... && go tool cover -func=coverage.out
build: ; go build -o bin/$(BIN) $(PKG)
run:   ; go run $(PKG)
tidy:  ; go mod tidy
ci:    ; $(MAKE) fmt vet lint test

.golangci.yml

run:
  timeout: 3m
linters:
  enable: [govet, staticcheck, gosimple, ineffassign, errcheck, gofmt]

.github/workflows/ci.yml.jinja

{% if use_github_actions %}
name: ci
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
        with: { go-version: '{{ go_version }}.x' }
      - run: make tools
      - run: make ci
{% endif %}

.gitignore.jinja

bin/
coverage.out

README.md.jinja

# {{ project_name }}

- Module: `{{ module_path }}`
- Go: `{{ go_version }}`

## Quick start
```bash
make tools
make run
make test

---

## Use it

```bash
# install copier
pipx install copier  # or: pip install --user copier

# generate a new project
copier copy /path/to/go-template my-new-app
cd my-new-app
make run

# later, propagate template updates
copier update

Existing templates¶

Many exist, none official. Most are opinionated or framework-bound.
Use Cobra’s cobra-cli if you want a CLI skeleton.
Use Kratos or Buffalo only if you’re adopting those stacks.

Recommendation: keep your template thin (layout, lint, CI, Make). Add extras only when multiple repos need them.

Go programming¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Recommended (WSL, Ubuntu 24.04)¶

Install Go 1.25.3 (current stable)¶

Quick test¶

If you need per-project versions¶

Option A: mise¶

Option B: asdf¶

Why this setup¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Why tarball > snap on WSL¶

If you still want snap¶

Summary¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Fix¶

Minimal commands¶

VS Code launch.json¶

Avoid¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Fix fast¶

Minimal terminal path¶

If no module yet¶

VS Code .vscode/launch.json¶

Why you saw Delve¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Go, fast-start guide for experienced devs¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

What’s “official/standard”¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Key points¶

Quick checks¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

What happens¶

Special case¶

Quick checks¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Options¶

Caveats¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

What to use¶

On your “2018” observation¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Install on WSL (Ubuntu)¶

Quick alternative (no local setup)¶

Why not gophernotes?¶

Notes¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Core facts¶

Minimal example¶

Method-set notes (succinct)¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Go vs Rust — OO and typing¶

Typing taxonomy (concise)¶

When to pick which¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

GC (Go)¶

CSP (in Go)¶

Minimal CSP-style snippet¶

Primary sources¶

Prompt¶

Response¶

Quick notes¶

Typing taxonomy (minimal)¶

Prompt¶

VS Code `.vscode/launch.json`¶