Getting Started with Go

Go, also known as Golang, is a statically typed, compiled programming language designed for simplicity, efficiency, and scalability. It is widely used for backend development, cloud computing, and concurrent applications.

Installing Go

To install Go, follow these steps:

1. Download Go: Visit the official Go website [go.dev](https://go.dev/dl/) and download the latest version for your operating system.
2. Install Go: Run the installer and follow the instructions.
3. Verify Installation: Open a terminal or command prompt and type:

   go version

   If Go is installed correctly, it will print the installed version.

Setting Up Your Go Environment

1. Set the GOPATH: GOPATH is the workspace where Go code is stored. By default, it’s set to ~/go on Linux/macOS and %USERPROFILE%\go on Windows.
2. Update PATH: Add Go’s bin directory to your system’s PATH to run Go commands from anywhere.
3. Create a Go Module: Run the following command inside your project directory:

   go mod init example.com/myproject

   Replace example.com/myproject with your desired module path.

Writing Your First Go Program

Create a new file main.go and add the following code:

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, World!")
}

Running the Program

To compile and run the program, use:

go run main.go

This will print Hello, World! to the terminal.

Understanding Basic Go Syntax

Variables and Data Types

var name string = "Go"
var age int = 10
message := "Go is awesome!" // Short variable declaration
fmt.Println(name, age, message)

Functions

func add(a int, b int) int {
    return a + b
}

func main() {
    result := add(3, 5)
    fmt.Println("Sum:", result)
}

Loops

for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
    fmt.Println(i)
}

Conditionals

if age > 18 {
    fmt.Println("Adult")
} else {
    fmt.Println("Minor")
}

Structs and Methods

type Person struct {
    Name string
    Age  int
}

func (p Person) Greet() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, my name is", p.Name)
}

func main() {
    person := Person{Name: "Alice", Age: 25}
    person.Greet()
}