---
date: 20200828
id: 8b5fb822-d1ad-46de-9299-37e3d3f5108c
title: Golang slices
---

# Basics

A slice is a dynamically sized, flexible view into the elements of an
array. Apparently they are much more common than arrays. Initialization
is pretty straight forward:

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    primes := [6]int{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13}

    var s []int = primes[1:4]
    fmt.Println(s)
}
```

Slices are like references. Change something in the slice and the
[array](20200828182327-arrays) it references also changes

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    names := [4]string{
        "John",
        "Paul",
        "George",
        "Ringo",
    }
    fmt.Println(names)

    a := names[0:2]
    b := names[1:3]
    fmt.Println(a, b)

    b[0] = "XXX"
    fmt.Println(a, b)
    fmt.Println(names)
}
```

Slices can contain any type, including other slices:

``` go
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "strings"
)

func main() {
    // Create a tic-tac-toe board.
    board := [][]string{
        []string{"_", "_", "_"},
        []string{"_", "_", "_"},
        []string{"_", "_", "_"},
    }

    // The players take turns.
    board[0][0] = "X"
    board[2][2] = "O"
    board[1][2] = "X"
    board[1][0] = "O"
    board[0][2] = "X"

    for i := 0; i < len(board); i++ {
        fmt.Printf("%s\n", strings.Join(board[i], " "))
    }
}

```

# Slice literals

A slice literal is like an array, but without the length, so we add more
stuff to it later

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    q := []int{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13}
    fmt.Println(q)

    r := []bool{true, false, true, true, false, true}
    fmt.Println(r)

    s := []struct {
        i int
        b bool
    }{
        {2, true},
        {3, false},
        {5, true},
        {7, true},
        {11, false},
        {13, true},
    }
    fmt.Println(s)
}
```

# Slice defaults

You can omit high and low bounds. As one would expect these default to 0
and slice length respectively

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    s := []int{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13}

    s = s[1:4]
    fmt.Println(s)

    s = s[:2]
    fmt.Println(s)

    s = s[1:]
    fmt.Println(s)
}
```

# Slice length and capacity

One can lookup slice length (length of the slice) and capacity (length
of the array the slice references)

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    s := []int{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13}
    printSlice(s)

    // Slice the slice to give it zero length.
    s = s[:0]
    printSlice(s)

    // Extend its length.
    s = s[:4]
    printSlice(s)

    // Drop its first two values.
    s = s[2:]
    printSlice(s)
}

func printSlice(s []int) {
    fmt.Printf("len=%d cap=%d %v\n", len(s), cap(s), s)
}
```

# Nil slices

Empty slices are equal to `nil`. Maybe that's a good idea, maybe it
isn't. Typing this i'm too tired to give rational input to this
philosophical quagmire.

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    var s []int
    fmt.Println(s, len(s), cap(s))
    if s == nil {
        fmt.Println("nil!")
    }
}
```

# Make

Slices can be created with the `make` function, this way you can treat
them like arrays that we know and love.

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    a := make([]int, 5)
    printSlice("a", a)

    b := make([]int, 0, 5)
    printSlice("b", b)

    c := b[:2]
    printSlice("c", c)

    d := c[2:5]
    printSlice("d", d)
}

func printSlice(s string, x []int) {
    fmt.Printf("%s len=%d cap=%d %v\n",
        s, len(x), cap(x), x)
}
```

# Append

New elements can be added to a slice with the
[append](https://golang.org/pkg/builtin/#append) function

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    var s []int
    printSlice(s)

    // append works on nil slices.
    s = append(s, 0)
    printSlice(s)

    // The slice grows as needed.
    s = append(s, 1)
    printSlice(s)

    // We can add more than one element at a time.
    s = append(s, 2, 3, 4)
    printSlice(s)
}

func printSlice(s []int) {
    fmt.Printf("len=%d cap=%d %v\n", len(s), cap(s), s)
}
```

# Range

You can iterate over slices with `range`

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

var pow = []int{1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128}

func main() {
    for i, v := range pow {
        fmt.Printf("2**%d = %d\n", i, v)
    }
}
```

Index or value can be skipped by using `_`. In case you only want the
index, just omit the second variable entirely:

``` go
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    pow := make([]int, 10)
    for i := range pow {
        pow[i] = 1 << uint(i) // == 2**i
    }
    for _, value := range pow {
        fmt.Printf("%d\n", value)
    }
}
```