Fallthrough

Go's Error Handling Is Handled

Jun 16, 2025
Delve into the heated debate surrounding error handling in Go, as the team reveals their decision to halt new proposals. Explore different perspectives on whether error handling is truly a problem. Discuss the implications of maintaining clear syntax amidst calls for innovation. The conversation touches on Go’s role in cloud computing challenges, especially with tools like Terraform and Kubernetes, and the potential benefits of incorporating WebAssembly for greater flexibility. A must-listen for developers navigating the complexities of error management!
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INSIGHT

Go Error Handling Is Verbose Not Broken

  • Go's error handling is not fundamentally broken but considered verbose, especially by newcomers.
  • The idea of special syntax improvements like the question mark operator fails due to the complexity of real error cases.
INSIGHT

Improve Error Types Over Syntax

  • Errors in Go are only an interface with one method, making type assertions difficult.
  • Better supporting and documenting error types would help error handling more than syntax changes.
ADVICE

Define Error Types Clearly

  • Define error types instead of generic errors for better documentation and clarity.
  • Use const or vars for errors so they appear in documentation and help callers understand error space.
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