Go Lang - CGO
Using CGO to Call C Code from Go
CGO (C Go) enables Go programs to call C code and vice versa, allowing Go to leverage existing C libraries or functionalities that are not natively available in Go. Integrating C code with Go through CGO requires understanding how to write Go bindings for C functions and manage memory interactions between the two languages.
Key Points:
- CGO allows Go programs to call C functions using special Go syntax.
- Developers need to create Go wrappers (bindings) for C functions and manage data conversion between Go and C.
- CGO is useful for integrating legacy C code or utilizing specialized C libraries in Go applications.
Example of Using CGO in Go
Below is an example demonstrating how to use CGO to call a simple C function from Go:
// Example: Using CGO to call C code from Go
package main
// #include
// void helloCGO() {
// printf("Hello from C code!\n");
// }
import "C"
import "fmt"
func main() {
fmt.Println("Calling C function from Go...")
C.helloCGO()
}
Summary
This guide provided an overview of using CGO to call C code from Go, including examples of integrating C functions into Go programs and managing interactions between Go and C. By leveraging CGO, developers can enhance the functionality and performance of Go applications by incorporating existing C libraries and functionalities.