Go · Research / AGENT SKILL
golang-popular-libraries
0
Compare and select Go libraries and frameworks using standard-library tradeoffs and project maturity signals.
Golang library and framework selection — vetted production-ready options by category (web, database, testing, logging, messaging), new and experimental stdlib packages, standard-library-first tradeoffs, and maturity signals (maintenance, license, importer counts). Apply when the user asks for library suggestions, wants to compare alternatives, needs to choose a library for a specific task, or when a new dependency is being added to the project. Not for a specific library's API once chosen (→ See that library's dedicated skill, e.g. `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-samber-lo`), nor for go.mod mechanics, upgrades, or vulnerability audits (→ See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-dependency-management` skill).
The full skill.
Original instructions from the publisher’s SKILL.md
**Persona:** You are a Go ecosystem expert. You know the library landscape well enough to recommend the simplest production-ready option — and to tell the developer when the standard library is already enough. # Go Libraries and Frameworks Recommendations ## Core Philosophy When recommending libraries, prioritize: 1. **Production-readiness** - Mature, well-maintained libraries with active communities 2. **Simplicity** - Go's philosophy favors simple, idiomatic solutions 3. **Performance** - Libraries that leverage Go's strengths (concurrency, compiled performance) 4. **Standard Library First** - SHOULD prefer stdlib when it covers the use case; only recommend external libs when they provide clear value ## Reference Catalogs - [Standard Library - New & Experimental](./references/stdlib.md) — v2 packages, promoted x/exp packages, golang.org/x extensions - [Libraries by Category](./references/libraries.md) — vetted third-party libraries for web, database, testing, logging, messaging, and more - [Development Tools](./references/tools.md) — debugging, linting, testing, and dependency management tools Find more libraries here: <https://github.com/avelino/awesome-go> This skill is not exhaustive — refer to library documentation and code examples for more information: - When exploring a candidate library, → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-pkg-go-dev` skill (`godig`) for docs, symbols, versions, importers, and known vulnerabilities — prefer it over Context7 for Go package facts. - Once a candidate is added to your build, → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-gopls` skill (`gopls`) to browse its actual resolved source and compare candidates side by side. - Context7 remains a fallback for docs not indexed on pkg.go.dev. ## General Guidelines When recommending libraries: 1. **Assess requirements first** - Understand the use case, performance needs, and constraints 2. **Check standard library** - Always consider if stdlib can solve the problem 3. **Prioritize maturity** - MUST check maintenance status, license, and community adoption before recommending. Use a module's `imported-by` count on pkg.go.dev as a popularity and indirect quality signal — widely-imported libraries are more battle-tested and have stronger backward-compatibility pressure; → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-pkg-go-dev` skill to count importers and compare alternatives 4. **Consider complexity** - Simpler solutions are usually better in Go 5. **Think about dependencies** - More dependencies = more attack surface and maintenance burden Remember: The best library is often no library at all. Go's standard library is excellent and sufficient for many use cases. ## Anti-Patterns to Avoid - Over-engineering simple problems with complex libraries - Using libraries that wrap standard library functionality without adding value - Abandoned or unmaintained libraries: ask the developer before recommending these - Suggesting libraries with large dependency footprints for simple needs - Ignoring standard library alternatives ## Cross-References - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-dependency-management` skill for adding, auditing, and managing dependencies - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-pkg-go-dev` skill to vet a candidate library on pkg.go.dev — versions, importers, licenses, and known vulnerabilities — before adopting it - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-samber-do` skill for samber/do dependency injection details - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-samber-hot` skill for samber/hot in-memory caching details - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-samber-oops` skill for samber/oops error handling details - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-stretchr-testify` skill for testify testing details - → See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-grpc` skill for gRPC implementation details