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The Way to Go

Regular Mistakes and Suggestions

Explore common mistakes in Go programming such as misusing pointers, skipping error checks, and improper loop variable handling. Understand best practices like proper slice initialization, safe type assertions, and correct template usage to write safer, more efficient Go code.

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In the previous chapters, we were sometimes warned with Remarks and Notes for Go misuses. Be sure to look for the specific section in this course on that subject when you encounter a difficulty in a coding situation like that.

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Common pitfalls

Here is an overview of pitfalls for your convenience, referring to where you can find more explanations and examples:

  • Never use var p*a to not confuse pointer declaration and multiplication.
  • Never change the counter-variable within the for-loop itself.
  • Never use the value in a for-range loop to change the value itself.
  • Never use goto with a preceding label.
  • Never forget the braces () after a function name to call the function specifically when calling a method on a receiver or invoking a lambda function as a Goroutine.
  • Never use new() with maps, always use make().
  • When coding a String() method for a type, don’t use fmt.Print or alike in the code, use the fmt.Sprint family of methods.
  • Never forget to use Flush() when terminating buffered writing.
  • Never ignore errors because ignoring them can lead to program crashes.
  • Do not use global variables or shared memory; they make your code unsafe for running concurrently.
  • When using JSON, make sure that the data fields you require are exported in the data structure.
  • Use println only for debugging purposes.

Best practices

In contrast, use the following:

  • Initialize a slice of maps the right way.
  • Always use the “comma, ok” (or checked) form for type assertions.
  • Make and initialize your types with a factory.
  • Use a pointer as receiver for a method on a struct only when the method modifies the structure, otherwise use a value.
  • Always use the package html/template to implement data-driven templates for generating HTML output safe against code injection.

These were some of the most common mistakes and overlooked errors. Best practices should be followed to enhance performance. Study the next lesson to code with proficiency keeping in view the best practices.