Grokking Go
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Go Comments

What are Comments?

Types of Comments in Go

  1. Single-Line Comments (//)
  1. Multi-Line Comments (/ ... /)

Things to Avoid While Using Comments

Comments are an essential part of programming. They help developers understand the code, explain logic, and make it easier to maintain. In this lesson, we will learn about comments in Go, their types, and best practices for using them effectively.

What are Comments?

  • Comments are non-executable lines in a program.
  • They are used to explain the code for future reference.
  • The Go compiler ignores comments when running the program.
  • Comments improve readability and help other developers understand the purpose of the code.

Types of Comments in Go

Go supports two types of comments:

  1. Single-line comments (//)
  2. Multi-line comments (Block comments) (/* ... */)

Let’s go through each of them with examples.

1. Single-Line Comments (//)

  • Single-line comments start with //.
  • Anything after // on that line is ignored by the compiler.
  • They are useful for brief explanations of code.

Example:

Go
Go
. . . .

Explanation:

  • The first comment (// This is a single-line comment) is used to describe the purpose of the code.
  • The second comment (// Printing a message) is placed next to a code line to explain what it does.

2. Multi-Line Comments (/* ... */)

  • Multi-line comments (also called block comments) start with /* and end with */.
  • They are used when more explanation is needed.
  • Everything between /* and */ is ignored by the compiler.

Example:

Go
Go
. . . .

Explanation:

  • The block comment (/* ... */) provides a detailed explanation of the program.
  • It is useful when writing large codebases or complex logic.

Things to Avoid While Using Comments

  • Do not overuse comments. Good code should be self-explanatory.

  • Avoid writing unnecessary comments. Example:

    x := 5 // Assigning 5 to x

    The comment is unnecessary because the code is already clear.

  • Keep comments updated. If you change the code, update the comments accordingly.

Now that we understand how to use comments in Go, the next lesson will compare Go with C++, Python, and Java, highlighting the differences between them.

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What are Comments?

Types of Comments in Go

  1. Single-Line Comments (//)
  1. Multi-Line Comments (/ ... /)

Things to Avoid While Using Comments