buffer and unbuffered difference golang

In Go, there are two types of channels: buffered and unbuffered. The main difference between these two types lies in how they handle the sending and receiving of values.

Unbuffered channels, also known as synchronous channels, have no capacity to store values. When a value is sent into an unbuffered channel, the sender will block until another goroutine receives the value from the channel. Similarly, when a value is received from an unbuffered channel, the receiver will block until another goroutine sends a value into the channel.

On the other hand, buffered channels have a specific capacity to store values. When a value is sent into a buffered channel, the sender will not block as long as the buffer is not full. If the buffer is full, then the sender will block until there is space available in the buffer. Similarly, when a value is received from a buffered channel, the receiver will not block as long as the buffer is not empty. If the buffer is empty, then the receiver will block until a value is sent into the buffer.

To summarize:

  • Unbuffered channels have no capacity to store values. Sending and receiving values on an unbuffered channel will block until both the sender and receiver are ready.
  • Buffered channels have a specific capacity to store values. Sending values on a buffered channel will only block if the buffer is full. Receiving values from a buffered channel will only block if the buffer is empty.

I hope this explanation clarifies the difference between buffered and unbuffered channels in Go. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!