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Talina
Talina

Posted on • Edited on • Originally published at talinablogs.com

Kickstart Your Journey as a Go Engineer in 4 Easy Steps

A structured approach to learning goes a long way in maximizing your output as a developer. Why struggle with theory when you can code immediately?

As an entrant, look for small wins every day - the key is to get instant gratification by writing production-grade Go.

#1 Win at the Syntax Game

A developer communicates through code; the first obvious step is to learn the syntax - a language's grammar.

Learning syntax can be slow - one has to remember many minute details. But thanks to gobyexample, this has been made simple.

Run the code snippets in Go's Playground. Tweak the code and implement various use-cases.

Another excellent news: Go offers limited in-built data structures, so the learning curve is shallow.

#2 Read Code to Write Code

Read code to incorporate different design patterns.

Read code with an eye for design but a vision to improve it.

Review code - read other reviewers' comments, ask questions, seek clarity. This is a proven method to grasp the language better.

#3 Master Best Practices

Want to master a coding language? Learn its best practices.

One language's guidelines don't apply to another. Even as a proficient Gopher, you'll find yourself revisiting Effective Go.

Conquering best practices goes a long way in writing maintainable code that can be tested quickly and refactored fewer times.

Communicating with your code will be easier if your code has a structure that most engineers know.

#4 Make Your First Contribution!

Make your first contribution while learning the syntax.

Create an HTTP service. Next, are you able to write a CLI service in Go?

Shadow other developers. Pick a low-hanging fruit - fixing a bug in a codebase, enhancing an API or writing a new script. Find a proficient colleague who can review your work.

There are tons of open-source projects in Go; contribute to these fantastic projects.

I hope you master Go by following these quick tips.
May the force be with you!

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