Can Go Reflection Derive a Type from its String Name?

Reflection: Obtaining Type Representation from its Name

Question:

In Go, is it possible to derive the Type representation of a data type from its name using reflection?

Answer:

The answer to this question depends on the context in which it is asked.

At Runtime:

If the type name is available as a string at runtime, it is not possible to obtain its Type representation using reflection. This is because types that are not directly referenced may not be included in the final executable binary.

At "Coding" Time:

However, if the type name is known during the coding or code generation phase, it is possible to obtain its Type representation without creating a variable of that type.

This can be achieved by obtaining the Type pointer of the type, creating a typed nil pointer value, and then using Type.Elem() to navigate to the base type of the pointer. The resulting Type descriptor will be identical to the one obtained by creating and reflecting on a variable of that type.

Example:

t := reflect.TypeOf((*YourType)(nil)).Elem()

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