Optional values for Go. Inspired by the Rust implementation.

I created this to provide greater coherency of optional handling across the language. In sql, we use NullType, in json and encoding friends we use pointers, and elsewhere we use ok. This package adds a more coherent optional experience across the language and is well tested.

Highly tested and aims at high utility. Attempts to follow a monadic design where if the wrapped type T implements some interface, so should Option[T]. The following are implemented:

• json.Marshaler
• json.Unmarshaler
• fmt.Stringer
• fmt.GoStringer
• sql.Scanner
• sql.driver.Valuer

If there are any more interfaces which should be wrapped, please open an issue or a PR. All features must be tested.

To declare a present optional value do:

myOption := Some[int](3)

To declare an empty optional value do:

empty := None[int]()

The default value for an Option[T] is None[T]():

var maybeInt Option[int]
if !maybeInt.Ok() {
  fmt.Println("The value isn't present!") // This will print, maybeInt hasn't been set.
}

To check if an optional value is present do:

opt := functionReturningOption()
if opt.Ok() {
  fmt.Println(opt.Unwrap())
}

To convert a pointer into an optional value do:

var pointer *int
myOption := FromRef(pointer) // Empty for nil pointers

To move values in and out of a sql database do:

db.Exec(`
  INSERT INTO test (optional_field) VALUES ($1);
`, Some[int](0))

rows, err := db.Query(`
  SELECT * FROM test;
`)
for rows.Next() {
  var opt Option[int]
  rows.Scan(&opt)
  fmt.Println(opt)
}

type MyStruct struct {
  Foo Option[int]
}

var v MyStruct
json.Unmarshal([]byte(`{}`), &v)
if v.Foo.Ok() {
  fmt.Println(v.Foo.Unwrap())
}