GoHow-ToBeginner · 3 min read

How to Dereference Pointer in Go: Simple Guide with Examples

In Go, you dereference a pointer using the * operator before the pointer variable. This lets you access or modify the value stored at the memory address the pointer holds.

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Syntax

To dereference a pointer in Go, use the * operator before the pointer variable. This accesses the value the pointer points to.

var p *int: declares a pointer to an int
*p: dereferences the pointer to get or set the int value

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    var p *int
    var x int = 10
    p = &x
    fmt.Println(*p) // prints 10
}

Output

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Example

This example shows how to create a pointer to an integer, dereference it to read the value, and modify the value through the pointer.

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    x := 42
    p := &x          // p points to x
    fmt.Println(*p)  // dereference p to get value: 42

    *p = 100         // change value at pointer
    fmt.Println(x)   // x is now 100
}

Output

42 100

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Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes include dereferencing a nil pointer, which causes a runtime panic, or confusing the address operator & with the dereference operator *.

Always ensure the pointer is not nil before dereferencing.

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    var p *int
    // fmt.Println(*p) // panic: dereference of nil pointer

    x := 5
    p = &x
    fmt.Println(*p) // correct usage: prints 5
}

Output

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Quick Reference

Operator	Meaning	Example
&	Address of a variable	p := &x // p points to x
*	Dereference pointer to get/set value	fmt.Println(*p) // prints value at p

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Key Takeaways

Use the * operator before a pointer variable to dereference it in Go.

Dereferencing lets you read or modify the value stored at the pointer's address.

Never dereference a nil pointer to avoid runtime panics.

The & operator gets the address of a variable, while * accesses the value at that address.

Always initialize pointers before dereferencing them.