Go from Beginner to Expert: A Complete Guide to Learn Golang PART-8
Step-by-Step Guide to understand Functions of Golang
Welcome to this tutorial on functions in Golang. In the previous sections, we discussed control statements. In this section, we will be discussing Functions in Golang.
Functions are a fundamental building block in any programming language, and Golang is no exception. They allow us to organize and reuse code, making our programs more efficient and easier to understand.
But before we dive into how to create and use functions in Golang, let’s start with a quick overview of what they are and why they’re so important.
1Definition of a function
A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. It can take input in the form of parameters, and it can return output as a result. You can think of a function like a little machine that does a specific job when you turn it on. In other languages, functions are also known as procedures, methods, or subroutines.
2Purpose of functions
Functions serve many purposes in programming. They can be used to perform repetitive tasks, to break down complex problems into simpler ones, or to isolate and test specific parts of a program. They also help to promote code re-usability, meaning that you can use the same function multiple times throughout your code without having to rewrite it.
3How they differ from functions in other programming languages
Now, while functions are a common feature in many programming languages, Golang has a unique approach to them. Unlike other languages, Go has a light syntax and it’s easy to define and call functions. Go also includes a few features like multiple return values, closures, and variadic functions that you may not find in other languages, making it an awesome way to write functions.
4Creating a function in Golang
So, if you’re ready to learn about how to create and use functions in Golang, stick around and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know.
Let’s dive deeper into how to create and use functions in Golang.
Syntax and basic structure
First, let’s talk about the syntax and basic structure of a function in Golang. To define a function, you use the keyword “func” followed by the function name, a set of parentheses, and a set of curly braces. Within the curly braces, you’ll include the code that you want the function to execute.
Here’s an example of a simple function that takes no input and returns no output:
func myFunction() {
// code to be executed
}Function signature and parameters
Now, in addition to the function name, you can also specify a set of parameters and return values. These are used to define the function’s signature and they allow you to pass information into and out of the function. For example, here’s a function that takes two parameters of type int and returns a value of type int:
func add(a int, b int) int {
return a + b
}Function return values
Here we declare two integer parameters a and b and returns a result of addition of these two parameters It is also possible to define multiple return values, here is an example
func swap(a, b string) (string, string) {
return b, a
}This function accepts two strings, a and b, and returns them in reverse order.
Shorthand notation for functions
It is also worth noting that Go also has a shorthand notation for functions with multiple parameters of the same type. Instead of repeating the type for each parameter, you can write it once followed by the parameter names, like this:
func add(a, b int) int {
return a + b
}5How to call a function
Now that we’ve covered the basics of defining a function, let’s talk about how to call it. To call a function, you simply write the function name followed by a set of parentheses that include any necessary input.
For example, if you want to call the add function from the previous example and pass in the values 2 and 3, you would write:
result := add(2, 3)
Functions can also return multiple values, which can be captured by assigning the function call to multiple variables like so:
first, second := swap(“Hello”, “World”)
That’s a quick overview of the functions in Golang. With this knowledge, you can start organizing and reusing your code in a much more efficient way.
In the next section of this tutorial, we will be discussing Function scope and Closures in Golang.
To stay up-to-date on our latest posts, please click on the Follow button and subscribe to our email notifications.
Kindly explore the complete series on Golang, which presents a step-by-step guide, available here.
Happy Coding :)
