Buffered and unbuffered channels in Go - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to create an unbuffered channel of integers.

Go

ch := make(chan [1])

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Achan int

Bbuffered

Cstring

Dint

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'buffered' as a type is invalid.

Using 'chan int' inside make is incorrect syntax.

The make(chan int) creates an unbuffered channel of integers.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to create a buffered channel with capacity 3.

Go

ch := make(chan int, [1])

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A0

B1

C3

D5

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 0 creates an unbuffered channel.

Using 1 or 5 does not match the required capacity.

The second argument in make sets the buffer size. Here, 3 means the channel can hold 3 values without blocking.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in sending a value to an unbuffered channel without a receiver.

Go

ch := make(chan int)
// Send value without receiver
ch [1] 10

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A<-chan

B<-

C<-chan<-

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '<-' alone without channel causes syntax error.

Using '<-chan' or '<-chan<-' is invalid syntax.

The send operator is chan <- value. Here, ch <- 10 sends 10 to the channel.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a buffered channel and send a value without blocking.

Go

ch := make(chan int, [1])
ch [2] 5

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A3

B<-

C<-chan

D0

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 0 capacity makes channel unbuffered, causing blocking.

Using '<-chan' is invalid for sending.

Creating a buffered channel with capacity 3 allows sending without blocking. The send operator is <-.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to receive a value from a buffered channel and print it.

Go

ch := make(chan int, [1])
ch <- 42
value [2] [3] ch
fmt.Println(value)

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A1

B:=

C<-

D3

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using capacity 1 may work but does not match the problem.

Using '=' instead of ':=' causes compile error.

Using '<-' after variable name is wrong.

Buffered channel with capacity 3 is created. Receiving uses value := <- ch. This reads a value from the channel.

Practice

1. What is the main difference between a buffered and an unbuffered channel in Go?

easy

A. Buffered channels allow sending multiple values without waiting, unbuffered channels require receiver ready.

B. Unbuffered channels store values internally, buffered channels do not.

C. Buffered channels block the sender until the receiver reads, unbuffered channels never block.

D. Unbuffered channels can only send strings, buffered channels can send any type.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand unbuffered channel behavior

   Unbuffered channels require the sender to wait until the receiver is ready to receive the value.

2. Step 2: Understand buffered channel behavior

   Buffered channels have a capacity to hold multiple values, so the sender can send without waiting until the buffer is full.

3. Final Answer:

   Buffered channels allow sending multiple values without waiting, unbuffered channels require receiver ready. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Buffered vs unbuffered = sender wait or not [OK]

Hint: Buffered = sender can send without waiting until full [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking unbuffered channels store values internally
• Believing buffered channels never block sender
• Confusing data types allowed in channels

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a buffered channel of integers with capacity 3 in Go?

easy

A. ch := make(chan int)

B. ch := make(chan int[3])

C. ch := make(chan int, 3)

D. ch := new(chan int, 3)

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall syntax for buffered channel creation

   Buffered channels are created with make(chan Type, capacity). Here, capacity is 3.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   ch := make(chan int, 3) uses make(chan int, 3) which is correct. ch := make(chan int) creates unbuffered channel. ch := make(chan int[3]) has invalid syntax. ch := new(chan int, 3) uses new which is incorrect for channels.

3. Final Answer:

   ch := make(chan int, 3) -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Buffered channel syntax = make(chan Type, capacity) [OK]

Hint: Use make(chan Type, capacity) for buffered channels [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting capacity creates unbuffered channel
• Using new() instead of make()
• Incorrect syntax with array notation

3. What will be the output of this Go program?

package main
import "fmt"
func main() {
  ch := make(chan int)
  go func() {
    ch <- 10
  }()
  fmt.Println(<-ch)
}

medium

A. Compilation error

B. 10

C. Deadlock error

D. 0

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze channel type and goroutine

   The channel ch is unbuffered. The goroutine sends 10 to ch, and main receives from ch.

2. Step 2: Understand synchronization

   Because the send and receive happen in separate goroutines, the send blocks until receive is ready, so the program runs without deadlock and prints 10.

3. Final Answer:

   10 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Unbuffered channel with goroutine send = prints sent value [OK]

Hint: Unbuffered channel blocks sender until receiver ready [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting deadlock without goroutine
• Thinking unbuffered channel stores default zero
• Confusing compilation error with runtime behavior

4. Consider this Go code snippet:

ch := make(chan int, 2)
ch <- 1
ch <- 2
ch <- 3
fmt.Println(<-ch)

What is the problem with this code?

medium

A. It causes a compilation error due to wrong syntax.

B. It prints 3 because the last value overwrites the buffer.

C. It compiles but prints 0 because channel is empty.

D. It causes a deadlock because the buffered channel is full before the third send.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check channel buffer capacity and sends

   The channel has capacity 2. Two sends fill the buffer. The third send blocks because buffer is full and no receiver yet.

2. Step 2: Understand blocking behavior

   Since no goroutine is receiving before the third send, the program deadlocks at third send.

3. Final Answer:

   It causes a deadlock because the buffered channel is full before the third send. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Buffered channel full + send without receive = deadlock [OK]

Hint: Buffered channel blocks sender when full without receiver [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming buffer overwrites old values
• Expecting zero printed from empty channel
• Confusing syntax error with runtime deadlock

5. You want to send 5 integers to a channel without blocking the sender immediately. Which of these code snippets correctly achieves this using buffered channels?

Option A:
ch := make(chan int, 5)
for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
  ch <- i
}

Option B:
ch := make(chan int)
for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
  ch <- i
}

Option C:
ch := make(chan int, 3)
for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
  ch <- i
}

Option D:
ch := make(chan int, 0)
for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
  ch <- i
}

hard

A. Option A only

B. Option B only

C. Option C only

D. Option D only

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand buffered channel capacity

   To send 5 integers without blocking immediately, the channel buffer must be at least 5.

2. Step 2: Analyze each snippet's buffer size

   The first snippet creates a channel with capacity 5, allowing all 5 sends without blocking. The second creates an unbuffered channel, blocking the sender immediately on the first send. The third has capacity 3, blocking on the fourth send. The fourth has capacity 0 (unbuffered), blocking immediately.

3. Final Answer:

   Option A only -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Buffer size >= sends to avoid blocking [OK]

Hint: Buffer size must match sends to avoid blocking [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using unbuffered channels expecting no blocking
• Choosing smaller buffer than sends
• Misunderstanding buffer size zero means unbuffered