Go Packages

A package is a container that contains various functions to perform specific tasks. For example, the math package includes the Sqrt() function to perform the square root of a number.

While working on big projects, we have to deal with a large amount of code, and writing everything together in the same file will make our code look messy. Instead, we can separate our code into multiple files by keeping the related code together in packages.

Now, we can use the package whenever we need it in our projects. This way we can also reuse our code.

Golang main() package

Remember this Hello World program, you wrote while starting with Go programming.

package main
import "fmt"

func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello World!")
}

Here, we have started our program with the package main.

Every Go program starts with the main package. Whenever the compiler sees the main package, it treats the program as the executable code.

Import package in Golang

In our previous example, we have used the code

import "fmt"

Here, we have used the import keyword to import the fmt package.

Once we import the package, we can use all of its functions in our program. For example,

package main

// import the fmt package
import "fmt"

func main() {

  // use the Println() function of fmt
  fmt.Println("Hello World!")
}

In the above program, we have imported the fmt package in our program. Notice the code

fmt.Println("Hello World!")

Here, we are using the Println() function of the fmt package to print the text.

Commonly used packages in Go

Now that we know how to import packages, let's learn about some of the popular packages:

• fmt Package
• math Package
• string Package

Golang fmt Package

In Go, the fmt package provides functions to format our input/output data. For example, the fmt.Println() function prints the data to the output screen.

Some of the commonly used fmt functions:

To use these functions, we must import the fmt package.

Example 1: Golang fmt package

package main
import "fmt"

func main() {

  var number int

  // take input value
  fmt.Scan(&number)

  // print using Println
  fmt.Println("Number is", number)

  fmt.Print("Using Print")
  fmt.Println("Using Println")

}

Output

Number is 10
Using PrintUsing Println

In the above example, we have used the fmt.Scan() function to take input value and assign it to the number variable. We then print the value of number using the fmt.Println().

The Println() function adds a newline character at the end by default. That's why the next statement, fmt.Print() prints the text, Using Print in the new line.

However, Print() doesn't add the newline character by default, the next print statement prints the text Using Println in the same line

Example 2: fmt Scanf() and Printf() functions

package main
import "fmt"

func main() {

  var number int
  
  fmt.Scanf("%d", &number)  // Input: 10
  fmt.Printf("%d", number)  // Output: 10

}

In the above example, functions

• fmt.Scanf("%d", &number) - takes integer input value and assign it to the number variable
• fmt.Printf("%d", number) - replaces the %d format specifier by the value of number and prints it

math package in Go

The math package provides various functions to perform mathematical operations. For example, math.Sqrt() finds the square root of a number.

Some of the commonly used math functions:

To use these functions, we must import the math package.

Example: math Package

package main
import "fmt"

// import the math package
import "math"

func main() {

  // find the square root
  fmt.Println(math.Sqrt(25))    // 5

  // find the cube root
  fmt.Println(math.Cbrt(27))    // 3

  // find the maximum number
  fmt.Println(math.Max(21, 18))    // 21

  // find the minimum number
  fmt.Println(math.Min(21, 18))    // 18

  // find the remainder
  fmt.Println(math.Mod(5, 2))    // 1

}

Here, we have imported the math package in our program. This is why we are able to use math-based functions like Sqrt(), Max(), etc in our program.

// use two import statements
import "fmt"
import "math"

// use single import statement
import (
  "fmt"
  "math"
)

Go strings package

The strings package provides functions to perform operations on UTF-8 encoded strings. For example, strings.Contains() checks if the string contains a substring.

Some of the commonly used strings functions:

To use these functions, we must import the strings package.

Example: string Package

package main

// import multiple packages
import (
  "fmt"
  "strings"
  )

func main() {

  // convert the string to lowercase
  lower := strings.ToLower("GOLANG STRINGS")
  fmt.Println(lower)

  // convert the string to uppercase
  upper := strings.ToUpper("golang strings")
  fmt.Println(upper)

  // create a string array
  stringArray := []string{"I love", "Go Programming"}

  // join elements of array with space in between
  joinedString := strings.Join(stringArray, " ");
  fmt.Println(joinedString)

}

Output

golang strings
GOLANG STRINGS
I love Go Programming

In the above example, we have used functions of the strings package to perform various operations on the strings.

Go Custom Package

So far, we have been using packages that are already defined inside the Go library. However, Go programming allows us to create our own custom packages and use them just like the predefined packages.

1. Create Custom Package

To create a custom package, we first need to create a new file and declare the package. For example,

// declare package
package calculator

Now, we can create functions inside the file. For example,

package calculator

// create add function
func Add(n1, n2 int) int {
  return n1 + n2
}

// create subtract function
func Subtract(n1, n2 int) int {
  return n1 - n2
}

In the above example, we have created a custom package named calculator. Inside the package, we have defined two functions: Add() and Subtract().

Note: This file doesn't contain the main package. Hence, the Go compiler doesn't consider this as an executable program and it is created for the sole purpose of sharing and reusing.

2. Importing Custom Package

Now, we can import the custom package in our main file.

package main 

// import the custom package calculator
import (
  "fmt"
  "Packages/calculator"
)

func main() {

  number1 := 9
  number2 := 5

  // use the add function of calculator package
  fmt.Println(calculator.Add(number1, number2))

  // use the subtract function of calculator package
  fmt.Println(calculator.Subtract(number1, number2))

}

Here, we have successfully imported the calculator package in our program and used its functions.

Note: We have used Packages/calculator as the name of the package. This is because the calculator package is present inside the Packages folder and we are providing the path to that package from the location of the main file.

import str "strings"

package main

import (
  "fmt"
  str "strings"
)

func main() {

  fmt.Println(str.ToUpper("programiz"))      // PROGRAMIZ
  fmt.Println(str.ToLower("PROGRAMIZ"))  // programiz

}

package main

import (
  "fmt"
  "math"
)

func main() {
  
  // throws an error
  fmt.Println("Programiz Go Package")

}

package main

import (
  "fmt"
  _ "math"
)

func main() {
  
  // runs without any error
  fmt.Println("Programiz Go Package")

}

Programiz Go Package