Rob Pike Style Guide⁠‍⁠​‌​‌​​‌‌‍​‌​​‌​‌‌‍​​‌‌​​​‌‍​‌​​‌‌​​‍​​​​​​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​​​​‍‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‍‌‌​​​‌​​‍‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​‌​​​​‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‍​‌​​‌​‌‌‍​‌‌​‌​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍​​‌​‌​​​‍‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‍​‌​​‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​​​‍‌‌​‌​‌​​‍​​​‌‌‌​​‍​​​​‌​‌​‍​‌‌​‌‌‌​⁠‍⁠

Overview

Rob Pike co-created Go at Google with Ken Thompson and Robert Griesemer. He also created Plan 9, Acme, sam, and co-invented UTF-8. His central thesis: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, and most software is far too complex.

Core Philosophy

"Simplicity is complicated."

"Don't communicate by sharing memory; share memory by communicating."

"Clear is better than clever."

Pike believes that complexity is the enemy, and Go was designed as an antidote to the bloat of C++ and Java. Every feature in Go earned its place by being essential.

Design Principles

1. Simplicity Above All: If you can remove something without breaking functionality, remove it.