Why Not Make CGO_ENABLED=0 the Default for Go Binaries?

Why not make CGO_ENABLED=0 the Default for Go Binaries?

By default, CGO_ENABLED is set to 1 in Go. This means that Go binaries can dynamically link with native libraries, such as those provided by GLIBC. This can lead to faster and smaller builds and runtimes.

However, there are also some drawbacks to using CGO, including the potential for breaking changes between GLIBC updates and distributions. Additionally, CGO-enabled binaries may not be portable across different platforms.

So why isn't CGO_ENABLED=0 the default? There are a few reasons:

• Convenience for local development: For local rapid development, CGO_ENABLED=1 is ideal. It allows developers to quickly build and run Go programs without having to worry about building and linking with native code.
• Deployment flexibility: For deployment, CGO_ENABLED=0 may be preferable. This allows developers to create static standalone binaries that do not rely on external libraries.

Standard Library Behavior

The behavior of certain standard library functions can also differ depending on whether CGO is enabled or not. For example:

• net: DNS name resolution is handled differently when using a pure-Go version (CGO_ENABLED=0) compared to a CGO-enabled version.
• os/users: User ID lookup uses the native OS's mechanisms when CGO is enabled, but a basic Go implementation when CGO is disabled.

Deployment Considerations

While CGO_ENABLED=1 binaries may be smaller in size, they also require the deployment of a host OS. This can add significant size and complexity to the deployment process. CGO_ENABLED=0 binaries, on the other hand, can be deployed without any dependencies on external libraries.

Conclusion

The decision of whether to enable CGO or not depends on the specific requirements of your Go program. If you are primarily using the standard library and do not require access to native code, then CGO_ENABLED=0 is a good option. Otherwise, CGO_ENABLED=1 can provide performance and convenience benefits for local development.

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