[skldj28d2]

Basically every custom data structure right now has some custom implementation of iterators. This will set a standard and make them usable with range loops. Even simple library methods like scanner.Scan, strings.Split, regex.FindAll or sql.Query should return iterators.

[klabb3]

> strings.Split, regex.FindAll

But they already do, slices are iterables, and the input is bounded. Plus you have lots of other benefits like indexability. What need would it solve?

> scanner.Scan, sql.Query

Right, these are not suitable for slices because they’re unbounded. But still, what’s the use case? You still have roughly the same amount of code, no? Even the same noisy if err != nil checks. Can you provide a snippet that highlights the benefits?

[Zababa]

https://github.com/golang/go/issues/61405#issuecomment-16388...:

> Can you provide more motivation for range over functions?

> If the results can be generated one at a time, then a representation that allows iterating over them scales better than returning an entire slice. We do not have a standard signature for functions that represent this iteration. Adding support for functions in range would both define a standard signature and provide a real benefit that would encourage its use.

> There are also functions we were reluctant to provide in slices form that probably deserve to be added in iterator form. For example, there should be a strings.Lines(text) that iterates over the lines in a text.

[38]

> scanner.Scan, strings.Split, regex.FindAll or sql.Query should return iterators

Will never happen. Best you can hope for is new functions

[skldj28d2]

I know. There are already proposals to add new functions to many of these packages that return iterators.

[tapirl]

But is this a problem?