As an engineer looking to progress in ones career, it is of the utmost importance to constantly enhance ones skill set to remain relevant. After all, nobody is interested in an expert with knowledge about a language that is deemed irrelevant. After analyzing the latest batch of data in our quarterly skills watch, it is apparent that Golang (Go) is a language on the rise. The C++, Python and Java mix based language developed by three Google engineers, Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson, has shown considerable strength over the last couple of years.
We know it has shown growth, but how much to be exact? Well, it is quite considerable to put it bluntly. In a mere three years, it has tripled. Quite a feat to say the least. While the overall numbers pale in comparison to other household languages, the steady rise can not be ignored. It first showed up on the watch list as a blip back in 2015. It floundered at relatively low numbers for the following two years after making its' initial appearance. However, a break out showed up in 2017. And, since that time, as mentioned earlier, it has moved up three fold. Therefore, not surprisingly, it caught our attention.
Who is using it? Is Go seeing this growth solely based on the growth of Google as a company? The short answer is no. While the founding company of the language does tend to use it extensively, there are a number of other high profile companies putting its efficiencies to good use. First and foremost is Uber. Uber is such a fan of Go that it has written over a hundred services with it. Another company with a lot of momentum that is finding its' use beneficial is Twitch. The highly popular video game streaming service credits their video quality to Golang. Pinterest and Lyft are also big fans. All in all, there are presently over 2,000 companies that are making use of it. Therefore, Go has shown that it can expand much farther than Google's four walls.
It is always tough to keep up with the latest trends. There is no question about that. Always having to bring a new skill into the fold can be a challenge. But, that is what makes this field so dynamic. One is always in constant flux to reinvent themselves. And, to stay relevant, it is a must. Therefore, now might be the time to introduce yourself to Go if you have not done so already.