# Go Patterns

> Go development patterns: testing, concurrency, errors, review, and conventions.

- Skill: `notque/go-patterns` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 68 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add notque/go-patterns`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/notque/go-patterns/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: notque (https://skillmd.com/u/notque)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/notque/go-patterns

---


# Go Patterns Skill

Umbrella skill for Go development: Google style, testing, concurrency, error handling,
failure modes, code review, SAP CC conventions, and quality gates. Load the references
relevant to the task.

## Google Style Precedence

Use this precedence when guidance differs:

1. The target repository's explicit rules and required compatibility constraints.
2. The Google Go Style Guide's canonical rules.
3. Google Go Style Decisions' normative guidance.
4. Google Go Style Best Practices' non-canonical recommendations.
5. Task-specific references below.

Prefer local consistency only where the Google guide allows judgment. Do not create
unrelated churn merely to restyle existing code. For new and nearby changed code,
follow the current pinned guidance. Record a conscious exception when repository rules,
generated-code constraints, or compatibility requirements require one.

## Reference Loading Table

| Signal | Load These Files | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Google-specific style decisions | Relevant sections under `google-style-guide/` | Check the pinned conventions needed for the task |
| Testing | `testing.md` | Writing, fixing, or reviewing Go tests |
| Concurrency | `concurrency.md` | Goroutines, channels, sync primitives, race conditions |
| Error handling | `error-handling.md` | Error wrapping, sentinels, custom types, errors.Is/As |
| Review patterns | `preferred-patterns.md` | Detecting code smells, over-engineering, bad Go patterns |
| Code review | `code-review.md` | Reviewing Go code or PRs for quality |
| SAP CC conventions | `sapcc-conventions.md` | Working in sapcc/* repos with go-bits |
| Quality gate | `quality-gate.md` | Running make check, linting, pre-commit validation |

## Instructions

### Step 1: Identify the Go Domain

Classify the task into one or more domains, then load the corresponding reference files.
Only load what is needed -- do not load all references for every task.

| Domain | Load Reference | When |
|--------|---------------|------|
| Testing | `references/testing.md` | Writing, fixing, or reviewing Go tests |
| Concurrency | `references/concurrency.md` | Goroutines, channels, sync primitives, race conditions |
| Error handling | `references/error-handling.md` | Error wrapping, sentinels, custom types, errors.Is/As |
| Review patterns | `references/preferred-patterns.md` | Detecting code smells, over-engineering, bad Go patterns |
| Code review | `references/code-review.md` | Reviewing Go code or PRs for quality |
| SAP CC conventions | `references/sapcc-conventions.md` | Working in sapcc/* repos with go-bits |
| Quality gate | `references/quality-gate.md` | Running make check, linting, pre-commit validation |

Multiple domains may apply. For example, reviewing a PR that includes concurrency code
should load both `code-review.md` and `concurrency.md`.

### Step 2: Load and Follow the Reference

Read the selected reference file(s) using `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/<name>.md`.
Each reference contains the full methodology, phases, code examples, and error handling
for that domain. Follow the instructions in the reference as if they were this skill's
instructions.

### Step 3: Use Domain-Specific Sub-References

Some references point to their own sub-reference files for extended patterns:

**Testing** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/testing/go-test-patterns.md` -- Full table-driven test, helper, mock examples
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/testing/go-benchmark-and-concurrency.md` -- b.Loop() benchmarks, synctest

**Concurrency** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/concurrency/concurrency-patterns.md` -- Worker pool, fan-out/fan-in, pipeline, rate limiter, graceful shutdown

**Error handling** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/error-handling/patterns.md` -- gopls tracing, HTTP handler patterns, error wrapping in middleware

**Review-pattern** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/preferred-patterns/code-examples.md` -- Extended before/after for all 7 failure modes

**Code review** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/code-review/common-review-comments.md` -- Go code patterns with good/bad examples

**SAP CC conventions** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sapcc-conventions/sapcc-code-patterns.md` -- Primary reference: code patterns, testing patterns, failure modes (merged from testing-patterns-detailed.md and preferred-patterns.md)
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sapcc-conventions/library-reference.md` -- Complete approved/restricted library table
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sapcc-conventions/architecture-patterns.md` -- Full 102-rule architecture spec
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sapcc-conventions/review-standards.md` -- Lead + secondary review standards (merged)
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sapcc-conventions/extended-patterns.md` -- Security, K8s, PR hygiene patterns
- Plus: `api-design-detailed.md`, `build-ci-detailed.md`, `error-handling-detailed.md`,
  `go-bits-philosophy-detailed.md`, `pr-mining-insights.md`

**Quality gate** sub-references:
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-gate/common-lint-errors.json` -- Linter descriptions and fix suggestions
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-gate/makefile-targets.json` -- Available make targets
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-gate/expert-review-patterns.md` -- Manual review patterns
- `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-gate/examples.md` -- Detailed usage examples

### Step 4: Execute

Follow the loaded reference methodology. Each reference has its own phases, gates,
and completion criteria. Apply them as written.

## Available Scripts

Scripts are organized by domain in sub-directories:

- **Testing**: `scripts/gen-table-test.sh`, `scripts/bench-compare.sh`
- **Error handling**: `scripts/check-errors.sh`
- **Code review**: `scripts/check-interface-compliance.sh`
- **SAP CC conventions**: `scripts/check-sapcc-identify-endpoint.sh`, `scripts/check-sapcc-auth-ordering.sh`,
  `scripts/check-sapcc-json-strict.sh`, `scripts/check-sapcc-time-now.sh`, `scripts/check-sapcc-httptest.sh`,
  `scripts/check-sapcc-todo-format.sh`
- **Quality gate**: `scripts/quality_checker.py`, `scripts/validate.py`
- **Google style snapshot**: `scripts/sync-google-style-guide.py` (pinned upstream refresh; requires review before revision changes)

## Error Handling

Errors are domain-specific. Load the relevant reference file and check its Error Handling
section for troubleshooting guidance.