I read a post titled “If Google No Longer Supports Golang.” I want to reply to this post.

The fear started spreading because Google laid off the Python Foundation team.

But actually, it’s highly unlikely that Google will stop supporting Go (Golang) anytime soon. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Foundational Role in Google’s Infrastructure

Go has become an essential part of many Google systems and services. It powers critical infrastructure components like Kubernetes, which is widely used internally and by countless external organizations worldwide.

2. Wide Adoption and Community Support

Go has a large, active community and widespread adoption in the software industry. Numerous companies use it for a variety of applications, from cloud services to web development. The strong community support makes it less likely for Google to abandon the language.

3. Ongoing Development and Investment

Google continues to invest in Go’s development actively. The language receives regular updates, improvements, and new features. Google’s commitment is evident through its contributions to the language and ecosystem.

4. Strategic Importance

Go was designed to solve problems related to concurrency, performance, and scalability — increasingly relevant problems in modern software development. This strategic importance makes continued support for Go beneficial for Google and the broader tech community.

5. Ecosystem Integration

Go is deeply integrated into many cloud-native tools and platforms, including those provided by Google Cloud Platform (GCP). These integrations are not trivial and represent a significant investment that Google benefits from maintaining.

6. Historical Precedent

While it’s true that companies can sometimes shift focus or deprecate technologies, Google has shown a track record of long-term support for critical projects and technologies that have become part of its operational backbone or part of the larger open-source ecosystem. For instance, despite shifts in focus, Google has continued to support and develop Java, Python, and other languages and tools.

Potential Reasons for Concern

Though there are overwhelming reasons for Google to continue supporting Go, it’s worth acknowledging some potential scenarios that could raise concerns:

• Strategic Reevaluation: If, for some reason, Go no longer aligns with Google’s strategic goals or if another language or technology outperforms Go in critical areas, support might be re-evaluated.
• Resource Allocation: Changes in how resources are allocated within Google could impact the extent of active development and support for Go.

Mitigating Factors

Even if Google’s direct involvement in Go were to wane, the vibrant open-source community around Go would likely continue its development. Many companies rely on Go and have the expertise and incentive to maintain and evolve the language independently of Google.

Conclusion

Given Go’s extensive integration into Google’s infrastructure, its widespread adoption, and active development, it’s highly improbable that Google would stop supporting Go. The language’s continued evolution and importance in the software ecosystem make it a robust choice for current and future projects. If Google’s direct involvement were to decrease, the strong and active Go community would likely continue to drive the language forward.