# Golang

23 Hacker News commenters recommended Golang and 8 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 11 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Simple, fast-compiling language with a broad standard library, popular for CLIs, backends and tools. Critics say it lacks modern language features and has generics limits.

## Why people recommend it

- Fast compiles, few dependencies (3 comments): "given its fast compile times and I have found it to be much more easier to create no-dependices/fewer-dependencies project" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47122569)) "you add a dependency, run a command, twiddle your thumbs 30 seconds, done." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48877276)) "a 15MB no-dependencies binary that has everything" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48180670))
- Batteries-included standard library (2 comments): "its standard library is batteries-included with fs & networking" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48108140)) "since it has one of the most complete standard libraries" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47756228))
- Few ways to do things (2 comments): "The number of ways to do things is far lower and there is no real magic behind the scenes" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46206045)) "Golang wins in performance and simplicity and raw ugliness." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48869083))
- Good for CLIs and backends (3 comments): "Seems to work really well, plus Golang has community libraries that emulate various UNIX tools" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45966879)) "gradually moving my stuff from bash/zsh to Golang" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46948810)) "I prefer Golang for both Backend and CLIs" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46999957))

## What people warn about

- Ugly and soulless feel (2 comments): "Golang wins in performance and simplicity and raw ugliness." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48869083)) "Golang feels dead, soulless." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46176650))
- Missing modern language features (2 comments): "But bad Golang is full of `any` and turns into a Python in disguise." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48868914)) "Golang gives you none of nice features of a modern language" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49712593))
- Generics and arena allocator limits (2 comments): "you can't actually build an arena allocator that can be used for multiple types in a natural way" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46222787)) "good luck with Golang pre-1.22 and even then, getting that one last iteration is quirky" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45879079))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Rust](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rust.md): 2039 recommend
- [Go](https://hackerapproved.com/p/go-programming-language.md): 1254 recommend
- [Python](https://hackerapproved.com/p/python.md): 1067 recommend
- [Zig](https://hackerapproved.com/p/zig.md): 743 recommend
- [TypeScript](https://hackerapproved.com/p/typescript.md): 574 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Golang", https://hackerapproved.com/p/golang/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).