Go Expert

Go Expert

Specialized expertise in Go programming, providing deep guidance on concurrency patterns with goroutines and channels, interface design, error handling idioms, and building performant, idiomatic Go applications.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill for:

• Implementing goroutines and channels
• Designing clean interfaces
• Error handling best practices
• Writing idiomatic Go code
• Performance optimization
• Building concurrent systems
• Understanding Go's memory model

Trigger phrases: "golang", "go language", "goroutine", "channel", "go error handling", "go interface", "go concurrency"

What This Skill Does

Provides Go expertise including:

• Concurrency: Goroutines, channels, sync primitives
• Interface Design: Small interfaces, composition
• Error Handling: Error wrapping, custom errors
• Performance: Profiling, optimization, memory management
• Idioms: Go conventions and best practices
• Testing: Table-driven tests, benchmarks

Instructions

Step 1: Master Goroutines and Channels

Goroutine Basics:

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "sync"
    "time"
)

// Basic goroutine
func main() {
    go func() {
        fmt.Println("Hello from goroutine")
    }()
    time.Sleep(time.Millisecond) // Don't do this in production
}

// Proper synchronization with WaitGroup
func processItems(items []string) {
    var wg sync.WaitGroup

    for _, item := range items {
        wg.Add(1)
        go func(item string) {
            defer wg.Done()
            process(item)
        }(item) // Pass item to avoid closure capture issues
    }

    wg.Wait() // Wait for all goroutines to complete
}

Channel Patterns:

// Unbuffered channel - synchronous communication
func main() {
    ch := make(chan string)

    go func() {
        ch <- "hello" // Blocks until received
    }()

    msg := <-ch // Blocks until sent
    fmt.Println(msg)
}

// Buffered channel - async up to buffer size
func main() {
    ch := make(chan int, 3) // Buffer of 3
    ch <- 1 // Doesn't block
    ch <- 2
    ch <- 3
    // ch <- 4 // Would block - buffer full
}

// Channel direction in function signatures
func send(ch chan<- int) { ch <- 42 }      // Send only
func receive(ch <-chan int) { <-ch }        // Receive only
func both(ch chan int) { ch <- 1; <-ch }   // Both

// Range over channel
func main() {
    ch := make(chan int)

    go func() {
        for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
            ch <- i
        }
        close(ch) // Must close for range to terminate
    }()

    for num := range ch {
        fmt.Println(num)
    }
}

Step 2: Implement Concurrency Patterns

Worker Pool Pattern:

func workerPool(numWorkers int, jobs <-chan Job, results chan<- Result) {
    var wg sync.WaitGroup

    for i := 0; i < numWorkers; i++ {
        wg.Add(1)
        go func(workerID int) {
            defer wg.Done()
            for job := range jobs {
                result := processJob(job)
                results <- result
            }
        }(i)
    }

    wg.Wait()
    close(results)
}

// Usage
func main() {
    jobs := make(chan Job, 100)
    results := make(chan Result, 100)

    // Start workers
    go workerPool(5, jobs, results)

    // Send jobs
    go func() {
        for _, job := range allJobs {
            jobs <- job
        }
        close(jobs)
    }()

    // Collect results
    for result := range results {
        handleResult(result)
    }
}

Fan-Out/Fan-In Pattern:

// Fan-out: multiple goroutines reading from same channel
func fanOut(input <-chan int, numWorkers int) []<-chan int {
    outputs := make([]<-chan int, numWorkers)

    for i := 0; i < numWorkers; i++ {
        outputs[i] = worker(input)
    }

    return outputs
}

// Fan-in: multiple channels into one
func fanIn(channels ...<-chan int) <-chan int {
    out := make(chan int)
    var wg sync.WaitGroup

    for _, ch := range channels {
        wg.Add(1)
        go func(c <-chan int) {
            defer wg.Done()
            for val := range c {
                out <- val
            }
        }(ch)
    }

    go func() {
        wg.Wait()
        close(out)
    }()

    return out
}

Select for Multiplexing:

func process(ctx context.Context, input <-chan Data) error {
    for {
        select {
        case <-ctx.Done():
            return ctx.Err() // Context cancelled
        case data, ok := <-input:
            if !ok {
                return nil // Channel closed
            }
            handleData(data)
        case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
            return errors.New("timeout waiting for data")
        }
    }
}

Step 3: Design Clean Interfaces

Interface Best Practices:

// Small interfaces are better
type Reader interface {
    Read(p []byte) (n int, err error)
}

type Writer interface {
    Write(p []byte) (n int, err error)
}

// Compose interfaces
type ReadWriter interface {
    Reader
    Writer
}

// Accept interfaces, return structs
func ProcessData(r Reader) (*Result, error) {
    // Accept any Reader implementation
    data, err := io.ReadAll(r)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    return &Result{Data: data}, nil
}

// Interface segregation
// Bad: Large interface
type Database interface {
    Query(sql string) ([]Row, error)
    Insert(table string, data map[string]any) error
    Update(table string, id int, data map[string]any) error
    Delete(table string, id int) error
    Transaction(fn func(Tx) error) error
    Migrate() error
    Backup() error
}

// Good: Small, focused interfaces
type Querier interface {
    Query(sql string) ([]Row, error)
}

type Inserter interface {
    Insert(table string, data map[string]any) error
}

// Use what you need
func GetUsers(q Querier) ([]User, error) {
    rows, err := q.Query("SELECT * FROM users")
    // ...
}

Step 4: Handle Errors Idiomatically

Error Handling Patterns:

import (
    "errors"
    "fmt"
)

// Sentinel errors
var (
    ErrNotFound = errors.New("not found")
    ErrInvalid  = errors.New("invalid")
)

// Error wrapping (Go 1.13+)
func getUser(id int) (*User, error) {
    user, err := db.FindUser(id)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("getUser(%d): %w", id, err)
    }
    return user, nil
}

// Checking wrapped errors
if errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
    // Handle not found
}

// Custom error types
type ValidationError struct {
    Field   string
    Message string
}

func (e *ValidationError) Error() string {
    return fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", e.Field, e.Message)
}

// Check for custom error type
var validErr *ValidationError
if errors.As(err, &validErr) {
    fmt.Printf("Validation failed for %s\n", validErr.Field)
}

// Multiple error handling pattern
func processAll(items []Item) error {
    var errs []error

    for _, item := range items {
        if err := process(item); err != nil {
            errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("item %d: %w", item.ID, err))
        }
    }

    if len(errs) > 0 {
        return errors.Join(errs...) // Go 1.20+
    }
    return nil
}

Step 5: Write Idiomatic Go

Go Idioms:

// Defer for cleanup
func processFile(path string) error {
    f, err := os.Open(path)
    if err != nil {
        return err
    }
    defer f.Close() // Always executed when function returns

    // Process file...
    return nil
}

// Struct embedding for composition
type Logger struct{}
func (l *Logger) Log(msg string) { fmt.Println(msg) }

type Server struct {
    *Logger // Embedded - Server now has Log method
    port int
}

// Named return values (use sparingly)
func divide(a, b float64) (result float64, err error) {
    if b == 0 {
        err = errors.New("division by zero")
        return // Returns named values
    }
    result = a / b
    return
}

// Functional options pattern
type Server struct {
    host    string
    port    int
    timeout time.Duration
}

type Option func(*Server)

func WithPort(port int) Option {
    return func(s *Server) { s.port = port }
}

func WithTimeout(d time.Duration) Option {
    return func(s *Server) { s.timeout = d }
}

func NewServer(host string, opts ...Option) *Server {
    s := &Server{
        host:    host,
        port:    8080,           // Default
        timeout: 30 * time.Second, // Default
    }
    for _, opt := range opts {
        opt(s)
    }
    return s
}

// Usage
server := NewServer("localhost",
    WithPort(9000),
    WithTimeout(time.Minute),
)

Step 6: Optimize Performance

Performance Patterns:

// Pre-allocate slices when size is known
func processItems(items []Item) []Result {
    results := make([]Result, 0, len(items)) // Capacity hint
    for _, item := range items {
        results = append(results, process(item))
    }
    return results
}

// Use sync.Pool for frequent allocations
var bufPool = sync.Pool{
    New: func() any {
        return new(bytes.Buffer)
    },
}

func process(data []byte) {
    buf := bufPool.Get().(*bytes.Buffer)
    defer func() {
        buf.Reset()
        bufPool.Put(buf)
    }()

    buf.Write(data)
    // Use buffer...
}

// Avoid string concatenation in loops
func buildString(parts []string) string {
    var sb strings.Builder
    sb.Grow(estimatedSize) // Pre-allocate if known

    for _, part := range parts {
        sb.WriteString(part)
    }
    return sb.String()
}

// Use sync.Map for concurrent map access
var cache sync.Map

func get(key string) (value any, ok bool) {
    return cache.Load(key)
}

func set(key string, value any) {
    cache.Store(key, value)
}

// Benchmark your code
func BenchmarkProcess(b *testing.B) {
    data := generateTestData()
    b.ResetTimer()

    for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
        process(data)
    }
}

Step 7: Write Effective Tests

Table-Driven Tests:

func TestAdd(t *testing.T) {
    tests := []struct {
        name     string
        a, b     int
        expected int
    }{
        {"positive", 2, 3, 5},
        {"negative", -1, -1, -2},
        {"zero", 0, 0, 0},
        {"mixed", -1, 1, 0},
    }

    for _, tt := range tests {
        t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
            result := Add(tt.a, tt.b)
            if result != tt.expected {
                t.Errorf("Add(%d, %d) = %d; want %d",
                    tt.a, tt.b, result, tt.expected)
            }
        })
    }
}

// Testing with subtests and parallel execution
func TestParallel(t *testing.T) {
    tests := []struct{ name, input, want string }{
        // test cases...
    }

    for _, tt := range tests {
        tt := tt // Capture range variable
        t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
            t.Parallel() // Run in parallel
            got := Process(tt.input)
            if got != tt.want {
                t.Errorf("got %q; want %q", got, tt.want)
            }
        })
    }
}

// Test helpers
func setupTest(t *testing.T) (*DB, func()) {
    t.Helper() // Mark as test helper

    db := createTestDB()
    cleanup := func() {
        db.Close()
    }
    return db, cleanup
}

func TestWithHelper(t *testing.T) {
    db, cleanup := setupTest(t)
    defer cleanup()

    // Use db...
}

Best Practices

• Accept interfaces, return structs - Flexibility in, concrete out
• Small interfaces - Prefer single-method interfaces
• Handle errors immediately - Don't ignore them
• Use context for cancellation - Pass context as first param
• Avoid naked returns - Except for short functions
• Don't overuse goroutines - They have overhead
• Close channels from sender - Never from receiver
• Use go vet and staticcheck - Catch common mistakes

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Context Propagation

func handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    ctx := r.Context()

    result, err := doWork(ctx)
    if err != nil {
        if errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
            return // Client disconnected
        }
        http.Error(w, err.Error(), 500)
        return
    }

    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(result)
}

func doWork(ctx context.Context) (*Result, error) {
    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 5*time.Second)
    defer cancel()

    resultCh := make(chan *Result, 1)
    errCh := make(chan error, 1)

    go func() {
        result, err := expensiveOperation()
        if err != nil {
            errCh <- err
            return
        }
        resultCh <- result
    }()

    select {
    case <-ctx.Done():
        return nil, ctx.Err()
    case err := <-errCh:
        return nil, err
    case result := <-resultCh:
        return result, nil
    }
}

Pattern 2: Graceful Shutdown

func main() {
    srv := &http.Server{Addr: ":8080"}

    // Start server
    go func() {
        if err := srv.ListenAndServe(); err != http.ErrServerClosed {
            log.Fatalf("Server error: %v", err)
        }
    }()

    // Wait for interrupt
    quit := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
    signal.Notify(quit, os.Interrupt, syscall.SIGTERM)
    <-quit

    // Graceful shutdown
    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
    defer cancel()

    if err := srv.Shutdown(ctx); err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("Shutdown error: %v", err)
    }
    log.Println("Server stopped gracefully")
}

Quality Checklist

• All errors handled (no _ = err)
• Context passed and respected
• Goroutines properly synchronized
• Channels closed by sender
• go vet passes
• staticcheck passes
• Tests are table-driven
• Benchmarks for hot paths

Related Skills

• performance-testing - Go benchmarking
• cicd-architect - Go CI/CD pipelines
• code-quality - Go code standards
• kubernetes-expert - Go microservices on K8s

Version: 1.0.0 Last Updated: January 2026 Based on: Effective Go, awesome-claude-code-subagents patterns

Iterative Refinement Strategy

This skill is optimized for an iterative approach:

1. Execute: Perform the core steps defined above.
2. Review: Critically analyze the output (coverage, quality, completeness).
3. Refine: If targets aren't met, repeat the specific implementation steps with improved context.
4. Loop: Continue until the definition of done is satisfied.