Go Time: Golang, Software Engineering cover image

Go Time: Golang, Software Engineering

Writing a shell in Go

Nov 6, 2024
Qi Xiao, the creator of the Elvish shell, discusses the unique features of his shell implementation written in Go, aimed at improving user experience. He contrasts Elvish with traditional shells like Bash and ZSH, emphasizing its programming-like capabilities. The conversation dives into the challenges of developing a shell, including keyboard event handling and launching external programs. Qi shares insights on the broader impact of command-line interfaces in tech and the evolution of Go within cloud computing.
01:05:22

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Building a shell like Elvish requires blending programming language design with user interface considerations to enhance user experience.
  • The motivation for creating Elvish arose from dissatisfaction with existing shells, highlighting the demand for better operational tools in development workflows.

Deep dives

Understanding the Cloud

The cloud is often perceived as a magical solution for developers, but its operation is grounded in underlying principles that can improve user experience if understood. While public cloud services like AWS and Google Cloud create complex abstractions, the essence of these services stems from traditional server management. For instance, modern cloud functions like AWS Lambda can seem opaque, but they essentially automate the management of virtual machines and resources. A deeper comprehension of these mechanics enables developers to innovate and design better features that leverage the cloud's full potential.

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