go-msquic is a new QUIC and HTTP/3 library for Go, built as a wrapper around the performant msquic library from Microsoft. It aims to provide a Go-friendly API while leveraging msquic's speed and efficiency. The library supports both client and server implementations, offering features like stream management, connection control, and cryptographic configurations. While still under active development, go-msquic represents a promising option for Go developers seeking a fast and robust QUIC implementation backed by a mature, production-ready core.
This GitHub repository, go-msquic, introduces a new QUIC and HTTP/3 library specifically designed for the Go programming language. It leverages the underlying msquic library, which is Microsoft's implementation of the QUIC protocol. This distinction is crucial as it separates go-msquic from other Go QUIC libraries that might rely on different implementations like the Google QUIC library or a completely independent one.
The core purpose of go-msquic is to provide Go developers with a performant and robust way to utilize the QUIC protocol and, by extension, the HTTP/3 protocol. The library focuses on exposing the functionality of msquic to the Go ecosystem, allowing developers to build applications that can benefit from the improved speed, reliability, and security offered by QUIC.
The repository provides a relatively straightforward API, designed to be idiomatic Go. This allows developers familiar with Go's networking packages to easily integrate QUIC functionality into their projects. The examples included in the repository showcase common use cases such as setting up a QUIC server and client, establishing a connection, and sending and receiving data. This practical approach aims to lower the barrier to entry for developers wanting to experiment with or deploy QUIC-based applications.
A key advantage of using msquic as the foundation is its mature development and backing by Microsoft. This implies a level of stability, performance optimization, and ongoing maintenance that can be beneficial for projects relying on go-msquic. Moreover, it likely ensures compatibility with other systems and applications utilizing the msquic implementation.
While the library is functional and demonstrates core QUIC features, the repository's documentation indicates it's still under development. This suggests that there might be ongoing additions, refinements, and potential breaking changes as the library progresses towards a more stable release. It also implies that not all features of the underlying msquic library might be currently exposed or fully implemented within the Go wrapper. Despite this, the existing functionality provides a valuable starting point for Go developers interested in exploring the world of QUIC and HTTP/3.
Summary of Comments ( 15 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43098690
Hacker News users discussed the
go-msquiclibrary, primarily focusing on its use of CGO and the implications for performance and debugging. Some expressed concern about the complexity introduced by CGO, potentially leading to harder debugging and build processes. Others pointed out that leveraging the mature msquic library from Microsoft might offer performance benefits that outweigh the downsides of CGO, especially given Microsoft's significant investment in QUIC. The potential for improved performance over pure Go implementations and the trade-offs between performance and maintainability were recurring themes. A few commenters also touched upon the lack of HTTP/3 support in the standard Go library and the desire for a more robust solution.The Hacker News post "Go-msquic: A new QUIC/HTTP3 library for Go" discussing the
go-msquiclibrary has generated several comments exploring various aspects of the project and QUIC in general.Several commenters discuss the performance characteristics of
go-msquic. One commenter expresses interest in seeing benchmark comparisons betweengo-msquicand other popular Go QUIC libraries likequic-go. They specifically ask about performance differences and whethergo-msquicleverages specific features of MsQuic to achieve better performance. Another commenter, seemingly knowledgeable about MsQuic's internals, suggests thatgo-msquic's performance is likely limited by the single OS thread utilized by MsQuic, hindering its ability to fully leverage multi-core processors. They further explain that this limitation stems from MsQuic's internal architecture and its integration with the Windows kernel, which is not optimized for multi-threaded performance in user mode.The discussion also touches upon the cross-platform compatibility of MsQuic and
go-msquic. A commenter points out that MsQuic, the underlying library, is Windows-only, therefore limiting the portability of any Go library built upon it. This observation leads to a broader conversation about the challenges of building cross-platform QUIC libraries and the desire for a truly portable, performant solution in the Go ecosystem.One commenter expresses skepticism about using
cgo, whichgo-msquicemploys to interface with the underlying MsQuic C API. They voice concerns about the performance overhead and complexity introduced bycgoand suggest exploring alternatives that minimize or eliminate its usage.The thread also briefly delves into the development history of QUIC libraries in Go, mentioning the initial work on a pure Go implementation within the
quic-goproject and subsequent efforts to incorporate MsQuic for potentially better performance. This context provides a glimpse into the evolving landscape of QUIC adoption within the Go community.Finally, some comments raise questions about the maturity and long-term support for
go-msquic, given its relatively recent release. The commenters express hope for continued development and broader community adoption to ensure the project's viability.