creating slice with `new`

tags: learning go programming

content

for a slice, Go creates:
- a backing array
- a slice structure (slice header) that points to the backing array

sliceFromNew := new([]int)
sliceFromMake := make([]int)

sliceFromNew is a pointer to the slice structure
- the variable sliceFromNew itself has value and address
- its value is memory address of a slice header
- at that memory address, there’s a nil slice

if sliceFromNew == nil { fmt.Println() }
if *sliceFromNew == nil { fmt.Println() }

the first line wouldn’t print, because sliceFromNew is not nil, it’s just a pointer variable
the second line prints, because sliceFromNew points to a nil slice, dereference sliceFromNew gives the nil slice

Note

new doesn’t create the backing array for slice.
make creates the backing array for slice.

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