After a year of using Go professionally, the author reflects positively on the switch from Java. Go's simplicity, speed, and built-in concurrency features significantly boosted productivity. While missing Java's mature ecosystem and advanced tooling, particularly IntelliJ IDEA, the author found Go's lightweight tools sufficient and appreciated the language's straightforward error handling and fast compilation times. The learning curve was minimal, and the overall experience improved developer satisfaction and project efficiency, making the transition worthwhile.
ICANN's blog post details the transition from the legacy WHOIS protocol to the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP). RDAP offers several advantages over WHOIS, including standardized data formats, internationalized data, extensibility, and improved data access control through different access levels. This transition is necessary for WHOIS to comply with data privacy regulations like GDPR. ICANN encourages everyone using WHOIS to transition to RDAP and provides resources to aid in this process. The blog post highlights the key differences between the two protocols and reassures users that RDAP offers a more robust and secure method for accessing registration data.
Several Hacker News commenters discuss the shift from WHOIS to RDAP. Some express frustration with the complexity and inconsistency of RDAP implementations, noting varying data formats and access methods across different registries. One commenter points out the lack of a simple, unified tool for RDAP lookups compared to WHOIS. Others highlight RDAP's benefits, such as improved data accuracy, internationalization support, and standardized access controls, suggesting the transition is ultimately positive but messy in practice. The thread also touches upon the privacy implications of both systems and the challenges of balancing data accessibility with protecting personal information. Some users mention specific RDAP clients they find useful, while others express skepticism about the overall value proposition of the new protocol given its added complexity.
Summary of Comments ( 408 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43092003
Many commenters on Hacker News appreciated the author's honest and nuanced comparison of Java and Go. Several highlighted the cultural differences between the ecosystems, noting Java's enterprise focus and Go's emphasis on simplicity. Some questioned the author's assessment of Go's error handling, arguing that it can be verbose, though others defended it as explicit and helpful. Performance benefits of Go were acknowledged but some suggested they might be overstated for typical applications. A few Java developers shared their positive experiences with newer Java features and frameworks, contrasting the author's potentially outdated perspective. Several commenters also mentioned the importance of choosing the right tool for the job, recognizing that neither language is universally superior.
The Hacker News post "One year after switching from Java to Go" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43092003) sparked a lively discussion with a variety of viewpoints on the merits and drawbacks of Go compared to Java.
Several commenters echoed the author's experience, praising Go's simplicity, speed, and ease of deployment. One user highlighted the reduced cognitive load when working with Go, appreciating its smaller standard library and straightforward error handling. Another commenter specifically mentioned the improved developer experience due to faster compilation times, a common complaint about Java development. The ease of creating statically linked binaries in Go, simplifying deployment and reducing dependencies, was also lauded. Some users even went so far as to say that Go's simplicity allows for quicker onboarding of new developers, reducing training time and costs.
However, not all comments were positive about Go. Some users argued that while Go might be simpler for smaller projects, its lack of features, particularly generics (at the time of the original article and comments), could become a hindrance in larger, more complex codebases. One commenter pointed out the verbosity of error handling in Go, which, while explicit, can lead to repetitive code. Another user mentioned missing Java features like proper dependency management and mature frameworks, suggesting that Go's ecosystem, while growing, isn't as comprehensive. The lack of immutability by default in Go was also brought up as a potential source of bugs.
A recurring theme in the comments was the trade-off between simplicity and features. Some argued that Go's simplicity is its greatest strength, leading to more maintainable and understandable code. Others countered that the lack of certain features could ultimately lead to increased complexity in the long run, especially for larger projects.
Several commenters also shared their experiences with migrating from Java (or other languages) to Go, offering practical advice and insights. Some mentioned the initial learning curve, while others highlighted the satisfaction of working with a more streamlined language.
The discussion also touched upon performance comparisons between Go and Java, with some users reporting significant performance improvements after switching to Go. However, others cautioned against generalizations, stating that performance depends heavily on specific use cases and implementation details.
Overall, the comments on the Hacker News post reflect a nuanced perspective on the transition from Java to Go. While many appreciate Go's simplicity and performance, others acknowledge the trade-offs and advocate for careful consideration based on project requirements and team expertise. The discussion highlights the ongoing evolution of programming languages and the diverse needs of the software development community.