If Google No Longer supports Golang

Last month’s hot topic in IT circles was Google laying off many developers from its Python core team and flutter/dart team, purportedly for a city-wide reorganization.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40171125

Reportedly, those laid off were mostly core members responsible for important Python maintenance.

As a gopher, I pondered: will Google abandon Go? And if so, what would become of Go?

What does Google offer to Go?

Based on our past understanding clarified by @lance Taylor and descriptions from various sources, we can estimate what Go has likely received from Google.

1. Job Positions : Details regarding job positions of members of the Go core team, including compensation, benefits, and other remuneration.
2. Software and Hardware Resources : Information on Go-related resources such as intellectual property, servers, domain names, and module management mirrors required by the community.
3. Offline Activities : Possibility of reduced or scaled-down Go conferences worldwide in terms of funding and endorsement.
4. Internal Resources of Big Corporations : Gradual loss of exposure to advanced projects and opportunities for Go’s adoption due to the absence of resources within Google.
5. Promotion and Feedback Channels : Slower discovery and response to significant issues and features in Go as Google’s internal demands historically take precedence.

Potential Scenarios

What might happen if Google dissolves the Go core team and ceases all infrastructure support?

• Dissolution of the Go core team, leading members may retire or seek employment elsewhere.
• If Google decides to cease all investment in Go, maintenance of Go could become more complex as it relies heavily on infrastructure. In such a scenario, Go might transition from Google to an external foundation, resulting in noticeable maintenance fluctuations.
• If Google chooses to continue investing in Go through other internal teams, the worst-case scenario could involve Google flexing its ownership of intellectual property, possibly leading to Go being rebranded.
• CNCF might take over Google’s mantle, organizing the future development of Go. Among CNCF projects, the Go language enjoys the widest adoption.

Probability of Occurrence

Currently, Go belongs to Google Cloud. Considering Go’s current trend focusing on customer success, the likelihood of Google Cloud shutting down Go is low. But who knows? I consulted gemini on this question.

generated by Gemini

Conclusion

Drawing from the example of Rust, which transitioned from Mozilla’s core to an independent foundation, Go could potentially thrive even more. A nonprofit organization will probably form around Go (or it may directly join CNCF), with enough support from major companies, at least for a period.

References

• https://ajmani.net/2024/02/23/go-2019-2022-becoming-a-cloud-team/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/golang/comments/1cft7mc/if_google_decided_to_part_with_the_core_go_team/