golang-http-frameworks

Q: How do I install golang-http-frameworks?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill golang-http-frameworks in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/golang-http-frameworks/ (personal) or .claude/skills/golang-http-frameworks/ (project).

by bobmatnycBackend & APIs

Go HTTP API development with net/http, Chi, Gin, Echo, and Fiber frameworks

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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill golang-http-frameworks

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads golang-http-frameworks automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Go HTTP Frameworks & REST APIs

Overview

Go provides exceptional HTTP capabilities starting with the standard library's net/http package. Go 1.22+ introduced enhanced pattern routing in ServeMux, making stdlib viable for many applications. For more complex needs, frameworks like Chi, Gin, Echo, and Fiber offer additional features while maintaining Go's simplicity and performance.

Key Features:

🌐 net/http: Production-ready standard library with Go 1.22+ routing
🎯 Chi: Lightweight, stdlib-compatible router with middleware chains
⚡ Gin: High-performance framework with binding and validation
🛡️ Echo: Type-safe, enterprise framework with OpenAPI support
🚀 Fiber: Express.js-inspired framework with WebSocket support
🔧 Middleware: Composable request/response processing
✅ Validation: Struct tag-based request validation
🧪 Testing: httptest.Server for comprehensive integration tests

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when:

Building RESTful APIs or web services
Choosing appropriate HTTP framework for project requirements
Implementing authentication or authorization middleware
Designing REST endpoint patterns and validation
Testing HTTP handlers and middleware chains
Optimizing API performance and response times
Migrating between HTTP frameworks

Framework Selection Guide

net/http (Standard Library) - Go 1.22+

Use When:

Building simple to moderate complexity APIs
Avoiding external dependencies is priority
Need maximum compatibility and long-term stability
Team prefers explicit over implicit patterns

Strengths:

Zero dependencies, part of Go standard library
Go 1.22+ pattern routing with path parameters
Excellent performance and stability
Extensive ecosystem compatibility
No framework lock-in

Limitations:

More verbose middleware composition
Manual request validation
No built-in binding or rendering

Example:

package main

import (
    "encoding/json"
    "net/http"
    "log"
)

// Go 1.22+ pattern routing
func main() {
    mux := http.NewServeMux()

    // Path parameters with {param} syntax
    mux.HandleFunc("GET /users/{id}", getUserHandler)
    mux.HandleFunc("POST /users", createUserHandler)
    mux.HandleFunc("GET /users", listUsersHandler)

    // Middleware wrapping
    handler := loggingMiddleware(mux)

    log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(":8080", handler))
}

func getUserHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    id := r.PathValue("id") // Go 1.22+ path parameter extraction

    user := User{ID: id, Name: "John Doe"}

    w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(user)
}

func loggingMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        log.Printf("%s %s", r.Method, r.URL.Path)
        next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
    })
}

type User struct {
    ID   string `json:"id"`
    Name string `json:"name"`
}

Chi - Lightweight Router

Use When:

Want stdlib-compatible router with better ergonomics
Need clean middleware composition
Prefer explicit over magic patterns
Building moderate to complex routing structures

Strengths:

100% compatible with net/http
Excellent middleware ecosystem
Route grouping and nesting
Context-based parameter passing
Minimal performance overhead

Installation:

go get -u github.com/go-chi/chi/v5

Example:

package main

import (
    "encoding/json"
    "net/http"
    "github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
    "github.com/go-chi/chi/v5/middleware"
)

func main() {
    r := chi.NewRouter()

    // Built-in middleware
    r.Use(middleware.Logger)
    r.Use(middleware.Recoverer)
    r.Use(middleware.RequestID)

    // Route grouping
    r.Route("/api/v1", func(r chi.Router) {
        r.Route("/users", func(r chi.Router) {
            r.Get("/", listUsers)
            r.Post("/", createUser)

            r.Route("/{userID}", func(r chi.Router) {
                r.Use(UserContext) // Middleware for nested routes
                r.Get("/", getUser)
                r.Put("/", updateUser)
                r.Delete("/", deleteUser)
            })
        })
    })

    http.ListenAndServe(":8080", r)
}

func UserContext(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        userID := chi.URLParam(r, "userID")
        // Load user from database, set in context
        ctx := context.WithValue(r.Context(), "user", userID)
        next.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
    })
}

func getUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    userID := r.Context().Value("user").(string)
    // Return user data
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]string{"id": userID})
}

Gin - High Performance Framework

Use When:

Need maximum performance (8x faster than most frameworks)
Want batteries-included experience
Require built-in validation and binding
Building JSON APIs with minimal boilerplate

Strengths:

Extremely fast (fastest Go framework in benchmarks)
Built-in JSON binding and validation
Middleware ecosystem
Group-based routing
Custom error handling

Installation:

go get -u github.com/gin-gonic/gin

Example:

package main

import (
    "net/http"
    "github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
)

type CreateUserRequest struct {
    Name  string `json:"name" binding:"required,min=3"`
    Email string `json:"email" binding:"required,email"`
    Age   int    `json:"age" binding:"required,gte=18"`
}

func main() {
    r := gin.Default() // Logger + Recovery middleware

    api := r.Group("/api/v1")
    {
        users := api.Group("/users")
        {
            users.GET("", listUsers)
            users.POST("", createUser)
            users.GET("/:id", getUser)
            users.PUT("/:id", updateUser)
            users.DELETE("/:id", deleteUser)
        }
    }

    r.Run(":8080")
}

func createUser(c *gin.Context) {
    var req CreateUserRequest

    // Automatic validation based on struct tags
    if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&req); err != nil {
        c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
        return
    }

    // Process user creation
    user := User{
        ID:    generateID(),
        Name:  req.Name,
        Email: req.Email,
        Age:   req.Age,
    }

    c.JSON(http.StatusCreated, user)
}

func getUser(c *gin.Context) {
    id := c.Param("id")

    // Return user
    c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{
        "id":   id,
        "name": "John Doe",
    })
}

Echo - Enterprise Framework

Use When:

Building enterprise applications
Need OpenAPI/Swagger integration
Want comprehensive middleware library
Require type-safe routing and binding

Strengths:

Type-safe routing with automatic parameter binding
Built-in middleware for common patterns
OpenAPI/Swagger generation support
Excellent error handling middleware
WebSocket support

Installation:

go get -u github.com/labstack/echo/v4

Example:

package main

import (
    "net/http"
    "github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
    "github.com/labstack/echo/v4/middleware"
)

func main() {
    e := echo.New()

    // Middleware
    e.Use(middleware.Logger())
    e.Use(middleware.Recover())
    e.Use(middleware.CORS())

    // Routes
    e.GET("/users/:id", getUser)
    e.POST("/users", createUser)
    e.PUT("/users/:id", updateUser)
    e.DELETE("/users/:id", deleteUser)

    e.Logger.Fatal(e.Start(":8080"))
}

func getUser(c echo.Context) error {
    id := c.Param("id")

    user := User{ID: id, Name: "John Doe"}
    return c.JSON(http.StatusOK, user)
}

func createUser(c echo.Context) error {
    var user User

    if err := c.Bind(&user); err != nil {
        return echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusBadRequest, err.Error())
    }

    if err := c.Validate(&user); err != nil {
        return echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusBadRequest, err.Error())
    }

    return c.JSON(http.StatusCreated, user)
}

// Custom error handler
func customErrorHandler(err error, c echo.Context) {
    code := http.StatusInternalServerError
    message := "Internal Server Error"

    if he, ok := err.(*echo.HTTPError); ok {
        code = he.Code
        message = he.Message.(string)
    }

    c.JSON(code, map[string]string{"error": message})
}

Fiber - Express.js Style

Use When:

Team familiar with Express.js patterns
Need WebSocket support out of the box
Building real-time applications
Want fastest route matching performance

Strengths:

Express.js-inspired API (easy for Node.js developers)
Fastest route matching (uses fasthttp)
Built-in WebSocket support
Template engine support
File upload handling

Limitations:

Uses fasthttp instead of net/http (less ecosystem compatibility)
Not compatible with standard http.Handler interface
Slightly less mature ecosystem

Installation:

go get -u github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2

Example:

package main

import (
    "github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2"
    "github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2/middleware/logger"
    "github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2/middleware/cors"
)

func main() {
    app := fiber.New()

    // Middleware
    app.Use(logger.New())
    app.Use(cors.New())

    // Routes
    api := app.Group("/api/v1")

    users := api.Group("/users")
    users.Get("/", listUsers)
    users.Post("/", createUser)
    users.Get("/:id", getUser)
    users.Put("/:id", updateUser)
    users.Delete("/:id", deleteUser)

    app.Listen(":8080")
}

func getUser(c *fiber.Ctx) error {
    id := c.Params("id")

    return c.JSON(fiber.Map{
        "id":   id,
        "name": "John Doe",
    })
}

func createUser(c *fiber.Ctx) error {
    var user User

    if err := c.BodyParser(&user); err != nil {
        return c.Status(400).JSON(fiber.Map{"error": err.Error()})
    }

    return c.Status(201).JSON(user)
}

Common HTTP Patterns

Request Validation

Struct Tag Validation:

import "github.com/go-playground/validator/v10"

type CreateUserRequest struct {
    Name     string `json:"name" validate:"required,min=3,max=50"`
    Email    string `json:"email" validate:"required,email"`
    Age      int    `json:"age" validate:"required,gte=18,lte=120"`
    Password string `json:"password" validate:"required,min=8"`
}

var validate = validator.New()

func validateRequest(req interface{}) error {
    return validate.Struct(req)
}

// Usage
func createUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    var req CreateUserRequest

    if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&req); err != nil {
        http.Error(w, "Invalid JSON", http.StatusBadRequest)
        return
    }

    if err := validateRequest(&req); err != nil {
        http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
        return
    }

    // Process valid request
}

Custom Validators:

import "github.com/go-playground/validator/v10"

var validate = validator.New()

func init() {
    validate.RegisterValidation("username", validateUsername)
}

func validateUsername(fl validator.FieldLevel) bool {
    username := fl.Field().String()
    // Custom validation logic
    return len(username) >= 3 && isAlphanumeric(username)
}

type SignupRequest struct {
    Username string `validate:"required,username"`
    Email    string `validate:"required,email"`
}

Middleware Patterns

Authentication Middleware:

func AuthMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        token := r.Header.Get("Authorization")

        if token == "" {
            http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
            return
        }

        // Validate token
        userID, err := validateToken(token)
        if err != nil {
            http.Error(w, "Invalid token", http.StatusUnauthorized)
            return
        }

        // Add user to context
        ctx := context.WithValue(r.Context(), "userID", userID)
        next.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
    })
}

Rate Limiting Middleware:

import (
    "golang.org/x/time/rate"
    "sync"
)

type RateLimiter struct {
    limiters map[string]*rate.Limiter
    mu       sync.RWMutex
    rate     rate.Limit
    burst    int
}

func NewRateLimiter(r rate.Limit, b int) *RateLimiter {
    return &RateLimiter{
        limiters: make(map[string]*rate.Limiter),
        rate:     r,
        burst:    b,
    }
}

func (rl *RateLimiter) getLimiter(ip string) *rate.Limiter {
    rl.mu.Lock()
    defer rl.mu.Unlock()

    limiter, exists := rl.limiters[ip]
    if !exists {
        limiter = rate.NewLimiter(rl.rate, rl.burst)
        rl.limiters[ip] = limiter
    }

    return limiter
}

func (rl *RateLimiter) Middleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        ip := r.RemoteAddr
        limiter := rl.getLimiter(ip)

        if !limiter.Allow() {
            http.Error(w, "Rate limit exceeded", http.StatusTooManyRequests)
            return
        }

        next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
    })
}

CORS Middleware:

func CORSMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        w.Header().Set("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*")
        w.Header().Set("Access-Control-Allow-Methods", "GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, OPTIONS")
        w.Header().Set("Access-Control-Allow-Headers", "Content-Type, Authorization")

        if r.Method == "OPTIONS" {
            w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
            return
        }

        next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
    })
}

Error Handling Strategies

Custom Error Types:

type APIError struct {
    Code    int    `json:"code"`
    Message string `json:"message"`
    Details string `json:"details,omitempty"`
}

func (e *APIError) Error() string {
    return e.Message
}

// Error constructors
func NewBadRequestError(msg string) *APIError {
    return &APIError{Code: http.StatusBadRequest, Message: msg}
}

func NewNotFoundError(msg string) *APIError {
    return &APIError{Code: http.StatusNotFound, Message: msg}
}

func NewInternalError(msg string) *APIError {
    return &APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: msg}
}

Error Response Middleware:

type APIHandler func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error

func ErrorHandlerMiddleware(h APIHandler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        err := h(w, r)
        if err == nil {
            return
        }

        // Handle different error types
        var apiErr *APIError
        if errors.As(err, &apiErr) {
            w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
            w.WriteHeader(apiErr.Code)
            json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(apiErr)
            return
        }

        // Unknown error - log and return generic message
        log.Printf("Internal error: %v", err)
        w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
        json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(APIError{
            Code:    http.StatusInternalServerError,
            Message: "Internal server error",
        })
    })
}

// Usage
func getUserHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
    id := r.PathValue("id")

    user, err := db.GetUser(id)
    if err != nil {
        if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
            return NewNotFoundError("User not found")
        }
        return fmt.Errorf("database error: %w", err)
    }

    w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
    return json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(user)
}

// Register with middleware
mux.Handle("GET /users/{id}", ErrorHandlerMiddleware(getUserHandler))

REST API Design Patterns

Resource Naming Conventions:

// Good: Plural nouns for collections
GET    /api/v1/users           // List users
POST   /api/v1/users           // Create user
GET    /api/v1/users/{id}      // Get user
PUT    /api/v1/users/{id}      // Update user (full)
PATCH  /api/v1/users/{id}      // Update user (partial)
DELETE /api/v1/users/{id}      // Delete user

// Nested resources
GET    /api/v1/users/{id}/posts        // User's posts
POST   /api/v1/users/{id}/posts        // Create post for user
GET    /api/v1/users/{id}/posts/{pid}  // Specific post

// Avoid: Verbs in URLs (use HTTP methods instead)
// Bad: POST /api/v1/users/create
// Bad: GET  /api/v1/users/get/{id}

Pagination Pattern:

type PaginationParams struct {
    Page     int `json:"page" validate:"gte=1"`
    PageSize int `json:"page_size" validate:"gte=1,lte=100"`
}

type PaginatedResponse struct {
    Data       interface{} `json:"data"`
    Page       int         `json:"page"`
    PageSize   int         `json:"page_size"`
    TotalCount int         `json:"total_count"`
    TotalPages int         `json:"total_pages"`
}

func listUsers(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    // Parse pagination params
    page, _ := strconv.Atoi(r.URL.Query().Get("page"))
    if page < 1 {
        page = 1
    }

    pageSize, _ := strconv.Atoi(r.URL.Query().Get("page_size"))
    if pageSize < 1 || pageSize > 100 {
        pageSize = 20
    }

    // Fetch data
    users, totalCount := db.GetUsers(page, pageSize)
    totalPages := (totalCount + pageSize - 1) / pageSize

    response := PaginatedResponse{
        Data:       users,
        Page:       page,
        PageSize:   pageSize,
        TotalCount: totalCount,
        TotalPages: totalPages,
    }

    w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response)
}

Query Parameter Filtering:

type UserFilter struct {
    Status    string `json:"status"`
    Role      string `json:"role"`
    CreatedAt string `json:"created_at"`
    Search    string `json:"search"`
}

func parseFilters(r *http.Request) UserFilter {
    return UserFilter{
        Status:    r.URL.Query().Get("status"),
        Role:      r.URL.Query().Get("role"),
        CreatedAt: r.URL.Query().Get("created_at"),
        Search:    r.URL.Query().Get("search"),
    }
}

func listUsers(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    filters := parseFilters(r)

    users := db.GetUsersWithFilters(filters)

    w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(users)
}

// Example request: GET /api/v1/users?status=active&role=admin&search=john

HTTP Client Patterns

Production-Ready HTTP Client:

import (
    "context"
    "net/http"
    "time"
)

func NewHTTPClient() *http.Client {
    return &http.Client{
        Timeout: 30 * time.Second,
        Transport: &http.Transport{
            MaxIdleConns:        100,
            MaxIdleConnsPerHost: 10,
            IdleConnTimeout:     90 * time.Second,
            DisableKeepAlives:   false,
        },
    }
}

// Making requests with context
func fetchUser(ctx context.Context, userID string) (*User, error) {
    client := NewHTTPClient()

    req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(
        ctx,
        "GET",
        fmt.Sprintf("https://api.example.com/users/%s", userID),
        nil,
    )
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("create request: %w", err)
    }

    req.Header.Set("Accept", "application/json")
    req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+getToken())

    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("execute request: %w", err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status: %d", resp.StatusCode)
    }

    var user User
    if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&user); err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("decode response: %w", err)
    }

    return &user, nil
}

Retry Logic with Exponential Backoff:

import (
    "context"
    "math"
    "time"
)

type RetryConfig struct {
    MaxRetries int
    BaseDelay  time.Duration
    MaxDelay   time.Duration
}

func DoWithRetry(ctx context.Context, cfg RetryConfig, fn func() error) error {
    var err error

    for attempt := 0; attempt <= cfg.MaxRetries; attempt++ {
        err = fn()
        if err == nil {
            return nil
        }

        if attempt < cfg.MaxRetries {
            // Exponential backoff
            delay := time.Duration(math.Pow(2, float64(attempt))) * cfg.BaseDelay
            if delay > cfg.MaxDelay {
                delay = cfg.MaxDelay
            }

            select {
            case <-ctx.Done():
                return ctx.Err()
            case <-time.After(delay):
                // Continue to next attempt
            }
        }
    }

    return fmt.Errorf("max retries exceeded: %w", err)
}

// Usage
err := DoWithRetry(ctx, RetryConfig{
    MaxRetries: 3,
    BaseDelay:  100 * time.Millisecond,
    MaxDelay:   2 * time.Second,
}, func() error {
    return makeAPIRequest()
})

Testing HTTP Handlers

Using httptest.Server:

import (
    "net/http"
    "net/http/httptest"
    "testing"
)

func TestGetUser(t *testing.T) {
    // Create test server
    ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(getUserHandler))
    defer ts.Close()

    // Make request
    resp, err := http.Get(ts.URL + "/users/123")
    if err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    // Assertions
    if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
        t.Errorf("expected status 200, got %d", resp.StatusCode)
    }

    var user User
    if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&user); err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }

    if user.ID != "123" {
        t.Errorf("expected user ID 123, got %s", user.ID)
    }
}

Testing Middleware:

func TestAuthMiddleware(t *testing.T) {
    handler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        userID := r.Context().Value("userID")
        if userID == nil {
            t.Error("userID not found in context")
        }
        w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
    })

    wrapped := AuthMiddleware(handler)

    tests := []struct {
        name       string
        token      string
        wantStatus int
    }{
        {"Valid token", "valid-token-123", http.StatusOK},
        {"Missing token", "", http.StatusUnauthorized},
        {"Invalid token", "invalid", http.StatusUnauthorized},
    }

    for _, tt := range tests {
        t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
            req := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/test", nil)
            if tt.token != "" {
                req.Header.Set("Authorization", tt.token)
            }

            rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
            wrapped.ServeHTTP(rr, req)

            if rr.Code != tt.wantStatus {
                t.Errorf("expected status %d, got %d", tt.wantStatus, rr.Code)
            }
        })
    }
}

Performance Optimization

Response Compression:

import (
    "compress/gzip"
    "io"
    "net/http"
    "strings"
)

type gzipResponseWriter struct {
    io.Writer
    http.ResponseWriter
}

func (w gzipResponseWriter) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
    return w.Writer.Write(b)
}

func GzipMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        if !strings.Contains(r.Header.Get("Accept-Encoding"), "gzip") {
            next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
            return
        }

        w.Header().Set("Content-Encoding", "gzip")
        gz := gzip.NewWriter(w)
        defer gz.Close()

        gzw := gzipResponseWriter{Writer: gz, ResponseWriter: w}
        next.ServeHTTP(gzw, r)
    })
}

Connection Pooling Configuration:

import (
    "net"
    "net/http"
    "time"
)

func NewProductionHTTPClient() *http.Client {
    return &http.Client{
        Timeout: 30 * time.Second,
        Transport: &http.Transport{
            Proxy: http.ProxyFromEnvironment,
            DialContext: (&net.Dialer{
                Timeout:   30 * time.Second,
                KeepAlive: 30 * time.Second,
            }).DialContext,
            ForceAttemptHTTP2:     true,
            MaxIdleConns:          100,
            MaxIdleConnsPerHost:   10,
            IdleConnTimeout:       90 * time.Second,
            TLSHandshakeTimeout:   10 * time.Second,
            ExpectContinueTimeout: 1 * time.Second,
        },
    }
}

Decision Tree

Building HTTP API in Go?
│
├─ Simple API, few dependencies? → net/http (stdlib)
│  ├─ Go 1.22+? → Use new ServeMux pattern routing
│  └─ Go < 1.22? → Consider Chi for better routing
│
├─ Need stdlib compatibility + better ergonomics? → Chi
│  └─ Great for: Middleware chains, route grouping
│
├─ Maximum performance priority? → Gin
│  └─ Great for: JSON APIs, high throughput services
│
├─ Enterprise app with OpenAPI? → Echo
│  └─ Great for: Type safety, comprehensive middleware
│
└─ Team knows Express.js + need WebSockets? → Fiber
   └─ Note: Uses fasthttp, not stdlib-compatible

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Not Closing Response Bodies

// Bad: Memory leak
resp, _ := http.Get(url)
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body) // Never closed!

// Good: Always defer close
resp, err := http.Get(url)
if err != nil {
    return err
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)

Pitfall 2: Not Using Context for Timeouts

// Bad: No timeout control
resp, _ := http.Get(url)

// Good: Use context with timeout
ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
defer cancel()

req, _ := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "GET", url, nil)
resp, err := client.Do(req)

Pitfall 3: Ignoring HTTP Status Codes

// Bad: Not checking status
resp, _ := http.Get(url)
defer resp.Body.Close()
json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&result)

// Good: Always check status
resp, err := http.Get(url)
if err != nil {
    return err
}
defer resp.Body.Close()

if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
    return fmt.Errorf("unexpected status: %d", resp.StatusCode)
}

Pitfall 4: Not Reusing HTTP Clients

// Bad: Creates new client per request (no connection pooling)
func makeRequest() {
    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, _ := client.Get(url)
}

// Good: Reuse client for connection pooling
var httpClient = &http.Client{
    Timeout: 30 * time.Second,
}

func makeRequest() {
    resp, _ := httpClient.Get(url)
}

Go Idiomatic Quality Rules

Small, high-frequency Go idioms worth enforcing in handler/service code:

Use := for locals with an initial value — reserve var for zero values and package-level declarations.
Don't name an unused method receiver — func (*Server) Foo() makes it clear the receiver is irrelevant.
Initialize struct pointers with &T{}, not new(T) — consistent with composite literals and lets you set fields inline.
Handle (don't discard) returned errors — a dropped error from Decode/Write/a repository call turns a failure into a silent success.

See go-idioms-quality.md for non-idiomatic vs idiomatic examples and how to test/lint each. Most are enforced by gofmt -s, staticcheck, errcheck, and revive under golangci-lint.

Derived from CAST Highlight Go-tagged code-quality indicators (https://doc.casthighlight.com/), which reference Effective Go and the Go Code Review Comments wiki as primary sources.

Related Skills

golang-testing-strategies: Testing HTTP handlers and middleware
golang-database-patterns: Integrating databases with HTTP APIs
toolchains-typescript-frameworks-nodejs-backend: Comparison with Node.js patterns

References

FAQ

What does the golang-http-frameworks skill do?

Go HTTP API development with net/http, Chi, Gin, Echo, and Fiber frameworks

How do I install golang-http-frameworks?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill golang-http-frameworks in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/golang-http-frameworks/ (personal) or .claude/skills/golang-http-frameworks/ (project).

Which AI agents can use golang-http-frameworks?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is golang-http-frameworks safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains golang-http-frameworks?

It is published by bobmatnyc in bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills. It has 442 recorded installs.

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golang-http-frameworks

Install

Install

Describe the task

Review the result

SKILL.md

Go HTTP Frameworks & REST APIs

Overview

When to Use This Skill

Framework Selection Guide

net/http (Standard Library) - Go 1.22+

Chi - Lightweight Router

Gin - High Performance Framework

Echo - Enterprise Framework

Fiber - Express.js Style

Common HTTP Patterns

Request Validation

Middleware Patterns

Error Handling Strategies

REST API Design Patterns

HTTP Client Patterns

Testing HTTP Handlers

Performance Optimization

Decision Tree

Common Pitfalls

Go Idiomatic Quality Rules

Related Skills

References

FAQ

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