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Golang Naming

  • 34.3k installs
  • 2.8k repo stars
  • Updated July 27, 2026
  • samber/cc-skills-golang

golang-naming is an agent skill for Go package, type, error, boolean, constructor, and test naming conventions using MixedCaps.

About

The golang-naming skill v1.1.1 from samber cc-skills-golang codifies Go identifier conventions where capitalization controls export and MixedCaps replaces underscores. It triggers when writing or reviewing Go code, choosing between New versus NewTypeName constructors, ErrNotFound versus NotFoundError, boolean isConnected versus connected fields, or debating utils package anti-patterns. Quick reference tables cover packages, files, interfaces with er suffixes, Err-prefixed error variables, Error-suffixed types, With-prefixed option funcs, and iota enums with unknown zero values. MixedCaps rules forbid MAX_PACKET_SIZE, snake_case, and Hungarian notation because Go tooling assumes capitalization-based exports. Avoid stuttering guidance explains why http.HTTPClient wastes reader time. Sections dive into package naming, constructors, receivers, getters without Get prefixes on exported methods, acronym casing like URL and HTTPServer, and test table got versus expected fields. Community company skills that explicitly supersede this entry take precedence.

  • Quick reference tables for packages, exports, interfaces, errors, booleans, constructors, and functional options.
  • Enforces MixedCaps identifiers and forbids underscores except test subcases and interop exceptions.
  • Covers Err prefix variables, Error suffix types, and lowercase unpunctuated error strings.
  • Documents avoid-stuttering rules so identifiers do not repeat package or type names.
  • Triggers on naming debates: New vs NewTypeName, isConnected vs connected, and utils anti-patterns.

Golang Naming by the numbers

  • 34,298 all-time installs (skills.sh)
  • +586 installs in the week ending Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
  • Ranked #3 of 99 Go skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
  • Security screen: LOW risk (skills.sh audit)
  • Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
At a glance

golang-naming capabilities & compatibility

Capabilities
package and file naming guidance · error and boolean naming patterns · constructor and functional option naming · acronym and receiver conventions · test and subtest naming rules
Use cases
code review · refactoring
From the docs

What golang-naming says it does

All identifiers MUST use MixedCaps, NEVER underscores.
retag-ops/docs-cache/skill_samber_cc-skills-golang_golang-naming.md
Clear is better than clever.
retag-ops/docs-cache/skill_samber_cc-skills-golang_golang-naming.md
A name MUST NOT repeat information already present in the package name, type name, or surrounding context.
retag-ops/docs-cache/skill_samber_cc-skills-golang_golang-naming.md
npx skills add https://github.com/samber/cc-skills-golang --skill golang-naming

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Listed on Skillselion
Installs34.3k
repo stars2.8k
Security audit3 / 3 scanners passed
Last updatedJuly 27, 2026
Repositorysamber/cc-skills-golang

What is the idiomatic Go name for this package, type, error, boolean field, or constructor?

Apply Go naming conventions for packages, types, errors, booleans, constructors, acronyms, tests, and functional options.

Who is it for?

Go developers writing or reviewing code where naming choices affect API clarity and tooling compatibility.

Skip if: Skip for general Go implementation questions that do not involve naming decisions.

When should I use this skill?

Choosing package names, error types, boolean prefixes, acronym casing, or test function names in Go.

What you get

Consistent Go identifiers that follow export rules, avoid stuttering, and match community conventions.

  • Idiomatic Go identifier choices
  • Naming review feedback

By the numbers

  • Metadata version 1.1.1 from samber cc-skills-golang.
  • Quick reference table spans fifteen identifier element types.

Files

SKILL.mdMarkdownGitHub ↗
Community default. A company skill that explicitly supersedes samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-naming skill takes precedence.

Go Naming Conventions

Go favors short, readable names. Capitalization controls visibility — uppercase is exported, lowercase is unexported. All identifiers MUST use MixedCaps, NEVER underscores.

"Clear is better than clever." — Go Proverbs

>

"Design the architecture, name the components, document the details." — Go Proverbs

To ignore a rule, just add a comment to the code.

Quick Reference

ElementConventionExample
Packagelowercase, single word, \_test suffix OK for test filesjson, http, tabwriter, http_test
Filelowercase, underscores OKuser_handler.go
Exported nameUpperCamelCaseReadAll, HTTPClient
UnexportedlowerCamelCaseparseToken, userCount
Interfacemethod name + -erReader, Closer, Stringer
StructMixedCaps nounRequest, FileHeader
ConstantMixedCaps (not ALL_CAPS)MaxRetries, defaultTimeout
Receiver1-2 letter abbreviationfunc (s *Server), func (b *Buffer)
Error variableErr prefixErrNotFound, ErrTimeout
Error typeError suffixPathError, SyntaxError
ConstructorNew (single type) or NewTypeName (multi-type)ring.New, http.NewRequest
Boolean fieldis, has, can prefix on fields and methodsisReady, IsConnected()
Test functionTest + function nameTestParseToken
Acronymall caps or all lowerURL, HTTPServer, xmlParser
Variant: contextWithContext suffixFetchWithContext, QueryContext
Variant: in-placeIn suffixSortIn(), ReverseIn()
Variant: errorMust prefixMustParse(), MustLoadConfig()
Option funcWith + field nameWithPort(), WithLogger()
Enum (iota)type name prefix, zero-value = unknownStatusUnknown at 0, StatusReady
Named returndescriptive, for docs only(n int, err error)
Error stringlowercase (incl. acronyms), no punctuation"image: unknown format", "invalid id"
Import aliasshort, only on collisionmrand "math/rand", pb "app/proto"
Format funcf suffixErrorf, Wrapf, Logf
Test table fieldsgot/expected prefixesinput string, expected int

MixedCaps

All Go identifiers MUST use MixedCaps (or mixedCaps). NEVER use underscores in identifiers — the only exceptions are test function subcases (TestFoo_InvalidInput), generated code, and OS/cgo interop. This is load-bearing, not cosmetic — Go's export mechanism relies on capitalization, and tooling assumes MixedCaps throughout.

// ✓ Good
MaxPacketSize
userCount
parseHTTPResponse

// ✗ Bad — these conventions conflict with Go's export mechanism and tooling expectations
MAX_PACKET_SIZE   // C/Python style
max_packet_size   // snake_case
kMaxBufferSize    // Hungarian notation

Avoid Stuttering

Go call sites always include the package name, so repeating it in the identifier wastes the reader's time — http.HTTPClient forces parsing "HTTP" twice. A name MUST NOT repeat information already present in the package name, type name, or surrounding context.

// Good — clean at the call site
http.Client       // not http.HTTPClient
json.Decoder      // not json.JSONDecoder
user.New()        // not user.NewUser()
config.Parse()    // not config.ParseConfig()

// In package sqldb:
type Connection struct{}  // not DBConnection — "db" is already in the package name

// Anti-stutter applies to ALL exported types, not just the primary struct:
// In package dbpool:
type Pool struct{}        // not DBPool
type Status struct{}      // not PoolStatus — callers write dbpool.Status
type Option func(*Pool)   // not PoolOption

Frequently Missed Conventions

These conventions are correct but non-obvious — they are the most common source of naming mistakes:

Constructor naming: When a package exports a single primary type, the constructor is New(), not NewTypeName(). This avoids stuttering — callers write apiclient.New() not apiclient.NewClient(). Use NewTypeName() only when a package has multiple constructible types (like http.NewRequest, http.NewServeMux).

Boolean struct fields: Unexported boolean fields MUST use is/has/can prefix — isConnected, hasPermission, not bare connected or permission. The exported getter keeps the prefix: IsConnected() bool. This reads naturally as a question and distinguishes booleans from other types.

Error strings are fully lowercase — including acronyms. Write "invalid message id" not "invalid message ID", because error strings are often concatenated with other context (fmt.Errorf("parsing token: %w", err)) and mixed case looks wrong mid-sentence. Sentinel errors should include the package name as prefix: errors.New("apiclient: not found").

Enum zero values: Always place an explicit Unknown/Invalid sentinel at iota position 0. A var s Status silently becomes 0 — if that maps to a real state like StatusReady, code can behave as if a status was deliberately chosen when it wasn't.

Subtest names: Table-driven test case names in t.Run() should be fully lowercase descriptive phrases: "valid id", "empty input" — not "valid ID" or "Valid Input".

Detailed Categories

For complete rules, examples, and rationale, see:

  • [Packages, Files & Import Aliasing](./references/packages-files.md) — Package naming (single word, lowercase, no plurals), file naming conventions, import alias patterns (only use on collision to avoid cognitive load), and directory structure.
  • [Variables, Booleans, Receivers & Acronyms](./references/identifiers.md) — Scope-based naming (length matches scope: i for 3-line loops, longer names for package-level), single-letter receiver conventions (s for Server), acronym casing (URL not Url, HTTPServer not HttpServer), and boolean naming patterns (isReady, hasPrefix).
  • [Functions, Methods & Options](./references/functions-methods.md) — Getter/setter patterns (Go omits Get so user.Name() reads naturally), constructor conventions (New or NewTypeName), named returns (for documentation only), format function suffixes (Errorf, Wrapf), and functional options (WithPort, WithLogger).
  • [Types, Constants & Errors](./references/types-errors.md) — Interface naming (Reader, Closer suffix with -er), struct naming (nouns, MixedCaps), constants (MixedCaps, not ALL_CAPS), enums (type name prefix like StatusReady), sentinel errors (ErrNotFound variables), error types (PathError suffix), and error message conventions (lowercase, no punctuation).
  • [Test Naming](./references/testing.md) — Test function naming (TestFunctionName), table-driven test field conventions (input, expected), test helper naming, and subcase naming patterns.

Common Mistakes

MistakeFix
ALL_CAPS constantsGo reserves casing for visibility, not emphasis — use MixedCaps (MaxRetries)
GetName() getterGo omits Get because user.Name() reads naturally at call sites. But Is/Has/Can prefixes are kept for boolean predicates: IsHealthy() bool not Healthy() bool
Url, Http, Json acronymsMixed-case acronyms create ambiguity (HttpsUrl — is it Https+Url?). Use all caps or all lower
this or self receiverGo methods are called frequently — use 1-2 letter abbreviation (s for Server) to reduce visual noise
util, helper packagesThese names say nothing about content — use specific names that describe the abstraction
http.HTTPClient stutteringPackage name is always present at call site — http.Client avoids reading "HTTP" twice
user.NewUser() constructorSingle primary type uses New()user.New() avoids repeating the type name
connected bool fieldBare adjective is ambiguous — use isConnected so the field reads as a true/false question
"invalid message ID" errorError strings must be fully lowercase including acronyms — "invalid message id"
StatusReady at iota 0Zero value should be a sentinel — StatusUnknown at 0 catches uninitialized values
"not found" error stringSentinel errors should include the package name — "mypackage: not found" identifies the origin
userSlice type-in-nameTypes encode implementation detail — users describes what it holds, not how
Inconsistent receiver namesSwitching names across methods of the same type confuses readers — use one name consistently
snake_case identifiersUnderscores conflict with Go's MixedCaps convention and tooling expectations — use mixedCaps
Long names for short scopesName length should match scope — i is fine for a 3-line loop, userIndex is noise
Naming constants by valueValues change, roles don't — DefaultPort survives a port change, Port8080 doesn't
FetchCtx() context variantWithContext is the standard Go suffix — FetchWithContext() is instantly recognizable
sort() in-place but no InReaders assume functions return new values. SortIn() signals mutation
parse() panicking on errorMustParse() warns callers that failure panics — surprises belong in the name
Mixing With*, Set*, Use*Consistency across the codebase — With* is the Go convention for functional options
Plural package namesGo convention is singular (net/url not net/urls) — keeps import paths consistent
Wrapf without f suffixThe f suffix signals format-string semantics — Wrapf, Errorf tell callers to pass format args
Unnecessary import aliasesAliases add cognitive load. Only alias on collision — mrand "math/rand"
Inconsistent concept namesUsing user/account/person for the same concept forces readers to track synonyms — pick one name

Enforce with Linters

Many naming convention issues are caught automatically by linters: revive, predeclared, misspell, errname. See samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-lint skill for configuration and usage.

Cross-References

  • → See samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-code-style skill for broader formatting and style decisions
  • → See samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-structs-interfaces skill for interface naming depth and receiver design
  • → See samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-lint skill for automated enforcement (revive, predeclared, misspell, errname)

Related skills

How it compares

Go-specific naming rulebook, not a general style guide for all languages.

FAQ

Who is golang-naming for?

Go developers deciding package, type, error, boolean, constructor, or test naming conventions.

When should I use golang-naming?

When reviewing naming in PRs, refactoring identifiers, or debating MixedCaps versus snake_case in Go.

Is golang-naming safe to install?

Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.

Gobackend

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