“godoc” is a command-line tool and website for displaying documentation for Go packages. It provides a comprehensive and easily accessible way to explore the documentation of Go packages, making it an invaluable resource for Go developers.
When used from the command line, the “godoc” tool starts an HTTP server and serves the documentation locally. By default, it listens on port 6060 (http://localhost:6060). This allows you to browse and search the documentation using a web browser.
The documentation displayed by “godoc” includes package-level documentation, function and method signatures, type information, constants, variables, and more. It also includes links to related packages, examples, and other relevant information. The documentation is generated automatically based on specially formatted comments and declarations in the Go source code.
In addition to the command-line tool, “godoc” provides a website (https://godoc.org/) that serves as an online repository of Go package documentation. This website is a central hub for accessing and exploring the documentation of publicly available packages. It offers search functionality, package browsing, and easy navigation through package dependencies.
Working with “godoc” allows developers to better understand the capabilities and usage of various Go packages. It assists in learning new packages, finding relevant usage examples, and exploring the available functionality within the standard library and external packages.
godoc Command Examples
1. Display help for package “fmt”:
# godoc [fmt]
2. Display help for the function “Printf” of “fmt” package:
# godoc [fmt] [Printf]
3. Serve documentation as a web server on port 6060:
# godoc -http=:[6060]
4. Create an index file:
# godoc -write_index -index_files=[path/to/file]
5. Use the given index file to search the docs:
# godoc -http=:[6060] -index -index_files=[path/to/file]
Summary
“godoc” is a command-line tool and website for displaying documentation for Go packages. It serves as a comprehensive resource for exploring the documentation of Go packages. The tool starts an HTTP server to serve the documentation locally, allowing developers to browse and search the documentation using a web browser. The documentation includes package-level details, function and method signatures, type information, constants, variables, examples, and more. The “godoc” website (https://godoc.org/) is an online repository of Go package documentation, providing search functionality, package browsing, and easy navigation through dependencies. It is a valuable tool for understanding and exploring the capabilities of Go packages.