Talk: DevFest Hamburg 2022 Workshop Recap

Recently led a beginner workshop on Go at DevFest Hamburg 2022. Here’s what we covered over the course of the session.

Getting Started

First thing was getting everyone set up to run Go code. Options included local installation, the Go Playground online, or the Go Docker Image.

Session Overview

First 45 minutes: Covered basic syntax including constants, variables, loops, conditions, types, functions, and package management. Goal was to establish a solid foundation.

Second 45 minutes: Moved into more advanced topics like zero values, pointers, arrays, slices, maps, and concurrency. This session showed Go’s capabilities for modern software development.

Final session: Hands-on work with the Go tool and Go Modules. Participants built their first applications - from “Hello World” to a simple HTTP server. Also covered testing and error handling.

Resources

Recommended these for continued learning:

• Dave Cheney’s blog for articles and guides
• The official Go tour for interactive introduction
• Go by Example for practical examples

What We Built

Started with constants and variables, then moved through loops and conditions for program flow control. Types and functions showed how Go organizes and executes code.

Zero values and type conversions covered Go’s handling of uninitialized variables and type safety. Worked with pointers for direct variable address manipulation. Arrays, slices, maps, and structs for data handling. The defer statement and concurrency models demonstrated Go’s capabilities for modern development.

By the end, participants could use the Go tool and modules to build and manage projects, with emphasis on testing and error handling.

Wrap-up

All workshop resources and examples are available on GitHub.

Thanks to everyone who participated at DevFest Hamburg 2022.