| name | go-design |
| description | Use this skill when designing Go APIs, organizing packages, writing functions or methods, choosing receiver types, or structuring a Go project. |
Go Code Organization & Design
Idiomatic Go patterns for project structure, API design, interface usage, and function/method design. Helps avoid anti-patterns that lead to tight coupling, confusing APIs, and maintenance issues.
When to Use This Skill
- Structuring a new Go project or package
- Designing interfaces, types, and exported APIs
- Choosing between value vs pointer receivers
- Using named return values or defer
- Avoiding variable shadowing and init() abuse
How It Works
- Identifies anti-patterns in code organization and API design
- Explains why each pattern is problematic
- Shows correct, idiomatic Go implementations
- Categorized by impact level (CRITICAL, HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW)
Categories Covered
- Code Organization — project structure, interfaces, naming, linters
- Functions & Methods — receivers, named returns, defer, nil receivers
Present Results to User
When identifying issues:
❌ Found: Interface defined on producer side
📍 Location: pkg/store/store.go:12
⚠️ Impact: MEDIUM - Tight coupling, hard to test
✅ Fix: Define interface on the consumer side
[Show incorrect code]
[Show correct code]
[Explain why the fix matters]
Troubleshooting
Receiver type choice unclear:
- Use pointer receiver when the method mutates state or the type is large
- Use value receiver for small, immutable types
