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Glossary

Generics​

Go 1.18+ feature that allows writing functions and types that work with any type while maintaining type safety. The lo library extensively uses generics to provide type-safe utility functions.

Reflection​

Language reflection is a programming technique where a program can examine and manipulate its own structure and behavior at runtime.

Type Safety​

The principle of ensuring that operations are performed on the correct data types, preventing runtime errors. lo leverages Go's type system and generics to provide type-safe operations and type-safe APIs.

Immutability​

The concept of data that cannot be changed after creation. Most lo functions follow immutable patterns, returning new collections rather than modifying existing ones.

Predicate Function​

A function that returns a boolean value, typically used for filtering or testing conditions. In lo, predicates are commonly used with Filter, Find, Contains, etc.

Transformer Function​

A function that transforms one value into another. Used with Map, MapValues, and other transformation operations.

Reducer Function​

A function that combines two values into one, used with Reduce and similar operations.

Comparator Function​

A function that compares two values and returns their relative order. Used with sorting operations.

Higher-Order Functions​

Functions that take other functions as parameters or return functions as results. Most lo utilities are higher-order functions.

Mutable Operations​

Functions that modify collections in-place rather than creating new ones. Mutable operations can be more memory efficient but less safe in concurrent scenarios and when data sharing is involved.

Lazy Evaluation​

Some lo operations implement lazy evaluation patterns for improved performance with large datasets.

Memory Efficiency​

Considerations for memory usage when choosing between immutable and mutable operations. Mutable operations can be more memory efficient but less safe in concurrent scenarios and when data sharing is involved.

Concurrency Safety​

How different operations behave in concurrent contexts and thread safety guarantees.