# Go Language REST API Part -1

In this article, we'll build a simple REST API using Go Language. The API will be a HelloWorld application that responds with "Hello, World!" when accessed.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1680343314084/a8b80212-7925-44eb-81b6-c083d0bcadfa.png align="center")

## **Setting up the Project**

Before we start, make sure you have Go installed on your system. You can download the latest version of Go from the official website [**https://golang.org/dl/**](https://golang.org/dl/).

To create a new Go project, create a new directory for your project and navigate to it in the terminal. We'll call our project `hello-api`. Inside the `hello-api` directory, create a new file called `main.go`.

## **Writing the Code**

In the `main.go` file, we'll define a handler function that will respond to HTTP requests. The handler function will write "Hello, World!" to the response.

```go
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
)

func handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    fmt.Fprintf(w, "Hello, World!")
}

func main() {
    http.HandleFunc("/", handler)
    http.ListenAndServe(":8080", nil)
}
```

The `handler` function takes two arguments: a `ResponseWriter` and a `Request`. The `ResponseWriter` is used to write the response to the client, while the `Request` contains information about the incoming request.

We register the `handler` function with the `http.HandleFunc` function, which tells the `http` package to call the `handler` function whenever a request is made to the root path `/`.

The `http.ListenAndServe` the function starts the server and listens on port `8080` for incoming requests.

## **Testing the API**

To test our API, run the following command in the terminal:

```bash
go run main.go
```

This will start the server and listen on port `8080`. Now open a web browser and go to [`http://localhost:8080`](http://localhost:8080). You should see the message "Hello, World!" displayed in the browser.

Alternatively, you can use a tool like `curl` to make a request to the API:

```bash
curl http://localhost:8080
```

This should return the message "Hello, World!" in the terminal.

## **Conclusion**

In this article, we've created a simple REST API using Go Language. We've defined a handler function that responds to HTTP requests with the message "Hello, World!". We've also seen how to start the server and test the API using a web browser or `curl`.

This is just a starting point for building more complex APIs with Go. With this basic knowledge, you can start building APIs that respond to different HTTP methods, handle different types of requests, and store and retrieve data from a database.

I hope this helps, you!!

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[https://www.techwasti.com/](Link)

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