Google shares plans for Go programming language in response to COVID-19

Kyle Bradshaw | Mar 26 2020 - 11:28 am PT

As we face this pandemic together and do our part to stay home and contain the spread, many of Google’s various projects are being forced to change their timelines, with Chrome being the prime example. The latest Google project to share revised plans in response to the COVID-19 crisis is the Go programming language (or Golang).

Generally speaking, the Go programming language follows a six-month release schedule, with new versions released every February and August. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Go 1.14 was able to release last month without issue, and Google has announced that they intend for Go 1.15 to be released in August 2020, as normal.

However, the team asked that developers curb their expectations for the release, as the Golang team’s adjusted schedule due to COVID-19 will surely have an impact on the number of features they will be able to safely launch.

At least for now, we intend to keep to our timeline for Go 1.15, with the understanding that it will probably have fewer new features and improvements than we originally planned. We continue to do code reviews, issue triage, and proposal review.

Development on other Go-related projects such as the “gopls” language server and Golang’s official website for packages are continuing relatively unimpeded.

Additionally, the Golang team is calling on the Go community to invest some of their time into organizations that are actively combating the pandemic, such as the COVID-19 Open-Source Help Desk or the US Digital Reponse. The help desk is seeking open-source library experts to directly help scientists focus on making progress rather than getting held up with the rough edges of some libraries. Meanwhile, the US Digital Response aims to connect qualified volunteers with various state and local governments that are in dire need of help.