Google Go gets going (w/ Video)

November 11, 2009 by Lin Edwards Google Go

(PhysOrg.com) -- Google has introduced its new experimental programming language Go, which aims to combine speedy application development through simplified coding with high-speed program execution.

Go is designed to serve as a systems language, rather like C or C++, but is extremely fast for development like Python, while still providing the benefits and security of being a true compiled language. The programming software is being released in an open source version because it is now at the stage of being powerful and useful, and because the open-source community is a great resource for developing better tools and libraries.

FLV player

A principal engineer at Google, Rob Pike, said the new language made him more productive than ever. Go code is compiled almost instantly, and when compiled the code runs at close to the same speed as C, Pike explained. Unlike existing languages, Go is designed as a language for the kind of programs Google programmers write, and is optimized for massive scaling and for multi-core processors that handle many tasks in parallel. So far it has not been used in any of Google's publically available applications.

Google's Go began as a group 20% project in 2007, and full-time work began on it last year. In group 20% projects Google employees can spend up to 20% of their time developing projects that lie outside their normal responsibilities. Pike and colleagues developed Go because they were frustrated with the modern complexity of software development. Go is not designed for beginners, but is probably around the same level as Java in terms of difficulty learning it, Pike said. It is an object-oriented language with features such as true closures and reflection.

Go works with Google's open-source technology Native Client, designed for running native code in web-based applications, but it is not known yet whether Go will be used in the new Google operating system, Chrome.

Google released another programming language, Simple, in July this year. Simple was a BASIC dialect designed specifically for developing Android applications.

More information: http://golang.org/

Rate this story - 4.1 /5 (13 votes)

rank
1
2
3
4
5

view popular

Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.

Display comments: newest first

El_Nose - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
a new shiny language -- booooo tired of new language fads even the good ones with decent legs don;t seem to finish the race, Java looks doomed to antiquity because a merger deal can't be thought through properly. ARRRRGGGGHHH
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
Bob_B - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
El_Nose, are you saying Go away? I'd prefer Java go away. It has always been s . l .. o ... w!

Good Luck, Go team!
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
winthrom - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
I like C. C++ is too klutzy. Java is Klutzy and slow. C is portable (portable C compiler) to any CPU. "New" languages are traps that disable programmers independence. Ada, COBOL, ".Net", C#, Fortran V (with "extensions), ad nausium. Perl (pick a version), Python, ... Microsoft "development" kits for BASIC, C#, etc., BARF! Programmers want to be creative, not linguists.

Go (away)
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
x646d63 - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
Wish I could yawn, but Google has too much power now. Frankly, I don't want to learn YACPL (yet another c programming language.)
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
antialias_physorg - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
I think I'll take a look at it. With the large projects we're working on builds take ages and you just sit there and twiddle your thumbs.

The most important thing will be: how soon we can expect a useful debugger.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
Arikin - Nov 11, 2009
- Rank: not rated yet
Need to try it and see if Go offers any advantage to C. If it is as scalable, faster, and easy as the article says then it is worth a look.

Programmers are a bit jaded when a new language claims to be better. Even... if it is from Google. Oh well, show me the SDK or at least a debugger...
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
raxit4u2 - Dec 11, 2009
- Rank: not rated yet
Really nice content covered. Same article i found the but with some different description...have a look at it... http://bit.ly/7CP9WB
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5

Other News

NORAD is tracking Santa Claus's progress

Follow Santa Claus, courtesy Google and NORAD

Technology / Internet

6 hours ago | 5 / 5 (2) | 0

Santa Claus is coming to your town -- and NORAD is tracking him as he drops off presents around the world. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, which monitors the North American airspace, on Thursday ...

College asks students to power down, contemplate

Technology / Hi Tech

4 hours ago | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Dianne Lynch wanted to give the students of Stephens College a break from the constant digital communication that pervades their generation. So she asked them to put their phones and computers away ...

Twitter buys Mixer Labs to map tweeting locations

Technology / Internet

16 hours ago | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Twitter is buying a startup called Mixer Labs in an effort to pinpoint the locations of people posting short messages on its service.

heryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, has been nominated to serve on the board of directors of Disney

Facebook COO nominated to Disney board

Technology / Business

23 hours ago | not rated yet | 0

The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, has been nominated to serve on the board of directors of the US media and entertainment giant.

Immersive Game System Allows Physical Interaction Between Players

Technology / Computer Sciences

Dec 22, 2009 | 4.6 / 5 (17) | 8

(PhysOrg.com) -- With a new immersive multiplayer game system, researchers are further blurring the line between gaming and the real world. Using a mouse and keyboard sounds kind of quaint compared to the ...