Empty Struct vs. Empty Interface in Go Maps: Which Offers Better Memory Optimization for Sets?

Memory Optimization in Maps: Empty Interface vs. Empty Struct

To simulate a set, you employ a map that associates keys of type MyType with values of type either an empty interface or an empty struct. Both approaches allow for effective set emulation. However, the choice between the two carries memory implications.

Memory Usage Comparison

Using the unsafe package, you can determine the memory consumption of various data types. For instance, on a 32-bit architecture, the memory usage for an empty struct (struct{}) is 0 bytes, an empty interface (interface{}) is 8 bytes, and a bool (bool) takes 1 byte. On a 64-bit architecture, the struct retains its 0-byte memory footprint, the interface grows to 16 bytes, and the bool remains at 1 byte.

Conclusion

When using maps to simulate sets, leveraging an empty struct as the value type offers a significant memory advantage over employing an empty interface. By choosing the struct, you effectively reduce the memory overhead for each map entry. This optimization becomes particularly valuable when working with large datasets or memory-constrained environments.

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