What is Go and where it runs

What Go is

Go, often called Golang, is a compiled programming language created at Google for clear and dependable software.

It is statically typed and has automatic memory management, so many mistakes are caught by the compiler while the programmer writes less boilerplate.

Read the overview article Golang and then continue with this course from the first lesson to the last one.

package main import "fmt" func main() { fmt.Println("Hello, Go") }

Every example in this course follows the same shape: a package clause, an import block, and a main function.

Where Go runs

Go runs on all common desktop and server systems: Linux, macOS, and Windows.

One codebase can produce a native binary for each platform, which makes deployment simple: copy one file and start it, with no runtime to install.

That is why Go is popular for web backends, network proxies, DevOps utilities, and cloud services inside client/server systems.

Why learn Go

Go has a small and regular syntax, so beginners read real programs after a few lessons.

The compiler is fast, the standard library covers networks and files and text, and built-in concurrency helps programs handle many tasks at once.

These traits make Go a solid first backend language and a practical tool for everyday automation.

The go tool

The go command manages the whole workflow: run code, build binaries, test packages, and format sources.

The next lessons use go run and go build all the time, so install the toolchain first and confirm the version.

go version

go version go1.21 linux/amd64

Next: Install Go and check the version

Article author: Arthur Isaev