Golang - zero value byte array

Question

In Golang, zero values are used in case of an error. Eg, if a key is absent in a map[int]string, an empty string is returned.

I'm writing a function that takes in a url and returns the json string received on making an http request. If the error is not null, I would like to set the return value for the body to be a zero value byte array. Since a byte array can be cast into other data types, I can't figure out what to set it as. Maybe context dependent? Since I expect the returned value to be a string, I should set it to an empty string?

zzzz · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-01 16:05:05Z

3

No, zero values are not idiomatically used as in-band error values. Map returns a zero value for keys not present, but that's an (often used) feature as one can, if required, test for the presence by the alternative syntax

v, ok := m[k]

Use multiple return values to return a value and a signal at the same time.

To signal a simple (true/false, ok/not ok, ...) condition, use a boolean value.

To signal an error condition, use an error typed value.

Etc.

BTW: The Go programming language has no casts. It has conversions and they're not the same as casts.

answered Aug 1, 2013 at 16:05

zzzz

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