Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Go Patterns Guide agent skill (golang-patterns)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The golang-patterns skill is a set of written Go guidance and code examples that an AI agent reads when it works on Go code. It tells the agent to follow Go-specific conventions such as functional options, small interfaces, constructor-based dependency injection, worker pools, error wrapping and table-driven tests. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it, and where it fits.
Go Patterns Guideaffaan-m/ECC · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip the skill. Unzip it so the golang-patterns folder containing SKILL.md sits in ~/.claude/skills/ or in your project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload in Claude. In the Claude apps, go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Ask for Go work. Open a Go project and make a request such as adding functional options to a constructor.
- 5Review the output. Read the code the agent writes and run it through your Go toolchain and tests.
What the skill makes the agent do
Agent skills are folders of instructions that an AI agent can load when a task calls for them. This one is named golang-patterns and is described by its SKILL.md file. When you work on Go code, the skill directs the agent toward idiomatic Go design choices instead of generic ones.
The skill covers functional options for constructors, defining small interfaces where they are used, dependency injection through New* constructors, worker pools and context passing, error wrapping and sentinel errors, a standard project layout, and table-driven tests. It is only guidance: it does not run anything by itself.
Install the skill (ZIP download or Claude Settings)
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. The skill folder should contain SKILL.md. Then place it in one of these locations:
- Personal: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so it is available across your projects.
- Project only: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder so it applies to that repository.
- Claude apps: upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The SKILL.md description says to use the skill when working with Go code to apply idiomatic Go patterns, and the skill is tied to Go files through its globs (**/*.go, **/go.mod, **/go.sum). Ask for Go work in plain language and mention the design concern you care about.
- Refactor this constructor so it accepts optional settings using functional options.
- Split this service's dependencies behind small interfaces defined where they are used.
- Add table-driven tests for this Validate function.
- Wrap these errors with context and add a sentinel error for not-found cases.
- Lay out this new Go service using cmd/, internal/ and pkg/.
Examples of what the agent produces
The skill includes short examples for each pattern. For instance, a functional options constructor looks like this: an Option type, a WithPort function that sets a field, and a NewServer function that applies options over a default port of 8080. The agent can follow this shape when it writes your code.
Error handling examples show wrapping with fmt.Errorf and %w, and checking sentinel errors with errors.Is. Testing examples show a table-driven TestValidate using t.Run and a testDB helper that calls t.Helper and t.Cleanup.
return fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch user %s: %w", id, err)What you need
The skill itself needs nothing installed. It runs no scripts and uses no network access. To build and test the code the agent writes, you need the Go toolchain in your own environment.
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Requires: Go toolchain, for your own code
Tips for getting good results
Name the pattern you want, and say which package or file is involved. Review the generated code against your own needs, because the skill gives general Go advice and the examples are illustrations rather than finished projects.
- Ask for one pattern at a time when refactoring existing code.
- Point the agent at specific files so it applies the guidance to the right packages.
- Check that the output compiles and passes your tests with the Go toolchain.
What people use it for
- Refactoring a Go constructor to use functional options so new settings do not break existing callers.
- Introducing small, use-site interfaces so a service can be tested with mocks.
- Adding a worker pool with context passing to a batch-processing package.
- Writing table-driven tests for validation functions.
- Setting up a new Go project using the cmd/, internal/ and pkg/ layout.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the golang-patterns skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository. In the Claude apps you can instead upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Do I need to install anything to use it?
No. The skill itself needs nothing installed, runs no scripts and uses no network. You only need the Go toolchain for building and testing your own code.
Is the golang-patterns skill free?
The source material is listed under the MIT licence. Check the licence file in the source repository for the exact terms before reuse.
Will it work for languages other than Go?
No. It is triggered by Go files (**/*.go, go.mod, go.sum) and gives Go-specific advice, which could mislead in other languages. Use a skill for your language instead.
Why isn't the agent following my team's Go style guide?
The skill gives generic idiomatic advice, which may conflict with an established local style guide. Tell the agent your project's rules explicitly, or do not use the skill in that project.
Does the skill run code or fetch anything online?
No. It is a set of written guidance and code examples. It does not run scripts and does not use the network.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you write Go and want the agent's code to follow idiomatic conventions, or if you are new to Go and want to see common patterns in action. Skip it for non-Go projects, and for codebases that already have their own Go style guide, where the generic advice may conflict with local rules.
Download the skill