How Can I Write Generic Numerical Functions in Go?

Writing Generic Numerical Functions in Go

In Go, when working with different numerical types, one may encounter the need for functions that can handle any numeric data. Here, we explore how to address this use case in Go 1.18 and above, as well as possible solutions for earlier versions.

Go 1.18 and Above:
With the introduction of type parameters in Go 1.18, defining a generic function is straightforward.

func add[T Number](a, b T) T {
  return a + b;
}

Here, T represents the type parameter, constrained by the Number interface. This interface, defined using the golang.org/x/exp/constraints package, ensures that T is a numeric type. This approach allows using any two numeric types (integer or floating-point) as arguments, and the function returns the result with the same type.

Earlier Versions of Go:

In earlier Go versions, there are a few methods to handle this situation:

• Convert to Float: One option is to convert all inputs to float64, as it covers the range of both integers and floats. However, this introduces unnecessary type conversions and may lead to loss of precision for integer data.
• Create Type-Specific Functions: You can create separate functions for each specific numeric type, such as addInt(a, b int) int for integers and addFloat(a, b float64) float64 for floating-point numbers. This approach provides type-safety but requires maintaining multiple functions.

Conclusion:

The preferred solution depends on the Go version being used. For Go 1.18 and above, the generic function approach using type parameters and the Number constraint is the most concise and efficient. For earlier versions, it's a matter of choosing between converting to float or managing type-specific functions.

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