0001: Learning Path Foundation

Date: 2026-06-14 Status: Accepted

Context #

Establishing the optimal learning sequence for a Go beginner+ aiming to contribute to cloud-native open source projects. The learner knows Go syntax basics but needs depth in idiomatic patterns. Target projects include Kubernetes, Docker, Prometheus, and similar infrastructure tools.

Insight #

The learning path should follow Go's own abstraction layers: interfaces first (implicit satisfaction, io.Reader pattern), then error handling (since Go errors are just interfaces), then concurrency (goroutines + channels build on top of interface patterns). This mirrors how production Go code is structured — interfaces define contracts, concrete types implement them, and concurrency orchestrates them.

Starting with interfaces unlocks testing (mocking via interfaces), understanding the standard library, and reading real cloud-native code — all of which are prerequisites for meaningful OSS contribution.

Consequences #

• Lesson 0001 will teach Go interfaces — implicit satisfaction, the io.Reader/io.Writer pattern, interface composition, and the empty interface
• Each subsequent lesson will build on interfaces as the foundational abstraction
• Reference documents should start with an interface glossary/cheat sheet
• The user should be able to read Kubernetes client.Client or Docker container.Runtime interfaces after this lesson and understand the pattern