Is Golang a Good Fit for Large Monolithic Backend Construction?

Hello everyone,

I’ve been working with Golang for backend development and I’m interested in its efficiency for larger monolithic or modular monolithic systems. One of my biggest challenges has been the excessive boilerplate code required for complex functionalities.

For instance, I recently developed a product search feature that needed to accommodate various filters. The amount of code required to execute my database queries and validate inputs was quite extensive; here’s a simplified illustration:

func SearchProducts(criteria ProductCriteria) ([]Product, error) {
    var results []Product
    query := "SELECT * FROM products WHERE 1=1"
    params := []interface{}{}
    paramCount := 0
    
    if criteria.CategoryId != 0 {
        paramCount++
        query += fmt.Sprintf(" AND category_id = $%d", paramCount)
        params = append(params, criteria.CategoryId)
    }
    
    if criteria.MinPrice > 0 {
        paramCount++
        query += fmt.Sprintf(" AND price >= $%d", paramCount)
        params = append(params, criteria.MinPrice)
    }
    
    if criteria.MaxPrice > 0 {
        paramCount++
        query += fmt.Sprintf(" AND price <= $%d", paramCount)
        params = append(params, criteria.MaxPrice)
    }
    
    resultRows, err := db.Query(query, params...)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    defer resultRows.Close()
    
    // Additional scanning logic...
    return results, nil
}

This part alone took over 250 lines for database interactions and validation. Adding file uploads for multiple product images only complicates things further.

Previously, I utilized frameworks like Spring Boot and found that I could implement similar features with less code.

So, is Golang truly a viable option for large monolithic backends? Are there certain design patterns or libraries that could help streamline the amount of code I need to write?

I’d appreciate any feedback from your experiences!

yeah for sure, using some good libs makes a big diff. Squirrel and GORM are great for reducing that manual query stuff. once u get the right abstractions, it gets easier. also check out middleware, super useful for large apps!

Interesting challenge! Have you tried any specific query builder patterns? What made Spring Boot feel more streamlined - the annotations or ORM magic? Also, what about breaking that search logic into smaller functions instead of one huge method?

I’ve built several large monolithic systems in Go - it’s totally viable, but you need the right tools. Your code example shows exactly why raw SQL gets messy fast. I use ORMs like GORM or query builders like Squirrel to cut down the boilerplate while keeping Go’s performance. For search functionality, GORM’s dynamic queries would shrink that 250-line mess down to maybe 30-40 lines. Here’s the thing about Go - it’s not about faster development time, it’s about runtime speed and easy deployments. Once you get solid patterns with good abstractions, the maintainability really shows. Large Go monoliths shine when you need consistent performance and simple deployment.