🐹 ⚖️ TuskLang Go Colon vs Equals Guide

Go Documentation

⚖️ TuskLang Go Colon vs Equals Guide

"We don't bow to any king" - Go Edition

Master the different assignment syntaxes in TuskLang and understand when to use colons (:) versus equals (=) in your Go applications. This guide covers syntax differences, use cases, and best practices.

🎯 Syntax Overview

Colon Syntax (Traditional INI-Style)

// config.tsk
[app]
name: "My Application"
version: "1.0.0"
debug: true
port: 8080[database]
host: "localhost"
port: 5432
name: "myapp"
ssl: false

Equals Syntax (Modern Style)

// config.tsk
[app]
name = "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug = true
port = 8080[database]
host = "localhost"
port = 5432
name = "myapp"
ssl = false

Mixed Syntax (Flexible)

// config.tsk
[app]
name: "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug: true
port = 8080[database]
host: "localhost"
port = 5432
name: "myapp"
ssl = false

🔧 Go Integration

Parser Support

// main.go
package main
import (
    "fmt"
    "github.com/tusklang/go"
)
func main() {
    // Create parser that supports both syntaxes
    parser := tusklanggo.NewEnhancedParser()
    
    // Parse configuration with mixed syntax
    data, err := parser.ParseFile("config.tsk")
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    
    // Map to struct
    var config Config
    err = tusklanggo.UnmarshalTSK(data, &config)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    
    fmt.Printf("App: %s v%s\n", config.App.Name, config.App.Version)
    fmt.Printf("Database: %s:%d/%s\n", config.Database.Host, config.Database.Port, config.Database.Name)
}
type Config struct {
    App      AppConfig      tsk:"app"
    Database DatabaseConfig tsk:"database"
}
type AppConfig struct {
    Name    string tsk:"name"
    Version string tsk:"version"
    Debug   bool   tsk:"debug"
    Port    int    tsk:"port"
}type DatabaseConfig struct {
    Host string tsk:"host"
    Port int    tsk:"port"
    Name string tsk:"name"
    SSL  bool   tsk:"ssl"
}

📊 Syntax Comparison

Colon Syntax (`:`)

// config-colon.tsk
[app]
name: "My Application"
version: "1.0.0"
debug: true
port: 8080
[server]
host: "localhost"
port: 8080
ssl: true
[database]
host: "localhost"
port: 5432
name: "myapp"
user: "postgres"
password: "secret"
ssl: false[features]
caching: true
logging: true
monitoring: false
analytics: false

Advantages: - Traditional INI-style syntax - Widely recognized and familiar - Compact and readable - Good for simple key-value pairs

Use Cases: - Configuration files - Simple settings - Legacy system compatibility - Quick prototyping

Equals Syntax (`=`)

// config-equals.tsk
[app]
name = "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug = true
port = 8080
[server]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
ssl = true
[database]
host = "localhost"
port = 5432
name = "myapp"
user = "postgres"
password = "secret"
ssl = false[features]
caching = true
logging = true
monitoring = false
analytics = false

Advantages: - Modern and clean syntax - Consistent with many programming languages - Clear assignment semantics - Good for complex configurations

Use Cases: - Modern applications - Complex configurations - Team projects - Production systems

🎯 When to Use Each Syntax

Use Colon (`:`) When:

// Simple configuration files
[app]
name: "My App"
version: "1.0.0"
debug: true
[server]
host: "localhost"
port: 8080
Legacy system compatibility
[database]
host: "localhost"
port: 5432
name: "myapp"
Quick prototyping
[features]
caching: true
logging: true

Use Equals (`=`) When:

// Complex configurations
[app]
name = "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug = true
port = 8080
log_level = "info"
[server]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
ssl = true
timeout = 30
max_connections = 100
[database]
host = "localhost"
port = 5432
name = "myapp"
user = "postgres"
password = "secret"
ssl = false
pool_size = 10
max_idle_connections = 5
Modern applications
[features]
caching = true
logging = true
monitoring = false
analytics = false
rate_limiting = true
compression = true

Use Mixed Syntax When:

// Gradual migration
[app]
name: "My Application"  # Legacy style
version = "1.0.0"       # Modern style
debug: true             # Legacy style
port = 8080             # Modern style
[database]
host: "localhost"       # Legacy style
port = 5432             # Modern style
name: "myapp"           # Legacy style
ssl = false             # Modern style
Team preference
[features]
caching: true           # Simple boolean
logging = true          # Simple boolean
monitoring: false       # Simple boolean
analytics = false       # Simple boolean

🔧 Advanced Usage

Dynamic Values with Different Syntax

// config-dynamic.tsk
[environment]
app_name: @env("APP_NAME", "Default App")
debug_mode = @env("DEBUG", "false")
port: @env("PORT", "8080")
database_url = @env("DATABASE_URL")
[computed]
timestamp: @date.now()
formatted_date = @date("Y-m-d H:i:s")
user_count: @query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users")
cache_key = @cache("5m", "expensive_operation")[conditional]
host: @if(@env("ENVIRONMENT") == "production", "0.0.0.0", "localhost")
port = @if(@env("ENVIRONMENT") == "production", 80, 8080)
ssl: @if(@env("ENVIRONMENT") == "production", true, false)

// main.go
type EnvironmentConfig struct {
    AppName     string tsk:"app_name"
    DebugMode   bool   tsk:"debug_mode"
    Port        int    tsk:"port"
    DatabaseURL string tsk:"database_url"
}
type ComputedConfig struct {
    Timestamp      interface{} tsk:"timestamp"
    FormattedDate  string      tsk:"formatted_date"
    UserCount      interface{} tsk:"user_count"
    CacheKey       interface{} tsk:"cache_key"
}type ConditionalConfig struct {
    Host string tsk:"host"
    Port int    tsk:"port"
    SSL  bool   tsk:"ssl"
}

Nested Objects with Different Syntax

// config-nested.tsk
[server]
host: "localhost"
port = 8080
ssl: true
[server.ssl]
cert_file: "/etc/ssl/cert.pem"
key_file = "/etc/ssl/key.pem"
ca_file: "/etc/ssl/ca.pem"[server.logging]
level: "info"
file = "/var/log/server.log"
max_size: "100MB"
max_age = "30d"

// main.go
type SSLConfig struct {
    CertFile string tsk:"cert_file"
    KeyFile  string tsk:"key_file"
    CAFile   string tsk:"ca_file"
}
type LoggingConfig struct {
    Level   string tsk:"level"
    File    string tsk:"file"
    MaxSize string tsk:"max_size"
    MaxAge  string tsk:"max_age"
}type ServerConfig struct {
    Host     string        tsk:"host"
    Port     int           tsk:"port"
    SSL      bool          tsk:"ssl"
    SSLConfig SSLConfig    tsk:"ssl"
    Logging  LoggingConfig tsk:"logging"
}

🎯 Best Practices

1. Consistency Within Sections

// Good - Consistent within sections
[app]
name: "My Application"
version: "1.0.0"
debug: true
port: 8080
[database]
host = "localhost"
port = 5432
name = "myapp"
ssl = false
Bad - Mixed within sections
[app]
name: "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug: true
port = 8080

2. Use Context-Appropriate Syntax

// Good - Use equals for complex configurations
[server]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
ssl = true
timeout = 30
max_connections = 100
keep_alive = true
read_timeout = 10
write_timeout = 10
Good - Use colons for simple configurations
[app]
name: "My App"
version: "1.0.0"
debug: true

3. Team Standards

// Good - Document team preferences
Team Standard: Use equals (=) for all new configurations
Legacy files may use colons (:)
[app]
name = "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug = true
port = 8080[database]
host = "localhost"
port = 5432
name = "myapp"
ssl = false

4. Migration Strategy

// Phase 1: Mixed syntax (transition period)
[app]
name: "My Application"  # Legacy
version = "1.0.0"       # New
debug: true             # Legacy
port = 8080             # New// Phase 2: Consistent equals syntax
[app]
name = "My Application"
version = "1.0.0"
debug = true
port = 8080

🔍 Error Handling

Syntax Validation

// main.go
func validateSyntax(filename string) error {
    parser := tusklanggo.NewEnhancedParser()
    
    // Parse configuration
    data, err := parser.ParseFile(filename)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("syntax error in %s: %w", filename, err)
    }
    
    // Check for mixed syntax if strict mode
    if strictMode {
        return checkSyntaxConsistency(data)
    }
    
    return nil
}func checkSyntaxConsistency(data map[string]interface{}) error {
    // Implementation to check for consistent syntax
    // This would analyze the original file content
    return nil
}

Parser Configuration

// main.go
func createParser(syntaxMode string) *tusklanggo.EnhancedParser {
    parser := tusklanggo.NewEnhancedParser()
    
    switch syntaxMode {
    case "colon":
        parser.SetSyntaxMode(tusklanggo.ColonOnly)
    case "equals":
        parser.SetSyntaxMode(tusklanggo.EqualsOnly)
    case "mixed":
        parser.SetSyntaxMode(tusklanggo.MixedSyntax)
    default:
        parser.SetSyntaxMode(tusklanggo.MixedSyntax) // Default
    }
    
    return parser
}

📊 Performance Considerations

Parsing Performance

// main.go
func benchmarkParsing() {
    parser := tusklanggo.NewEnhancedParser()
    
    // Benchmark colon syntax
    start := time.Now()
    for i := 0; i < 1000; i++ {
        _, err := parser.ParseFile("config-colon.tsk")
        if err != nil {
            panic(err)
        }
    }
    colonDuration := time.Since(start)
    
    // Benchmark equals syntax
    start = time.Now()
    for i := 0; i < 1000; i++ {
        _, err := parser.ParseFile("config-equals.tsk")
        if err != nil {
            panic(err)
        }
    }
    equalsDuration := time.Since(start)
    
    fmt.Printf("Colon syntax: %v\n", colonDuration)
    fmt.Printf("Equals syntax: %v\n", equalsDuration)
    fmt.Printf("Difference: %v\n", colonDuration-equalsDuration)
}

🎯 Complete Example

Configuration File

// config.tsk
========================================
APPLICATION CONFIGURATION
========================================
[app]
name: "My TuskLang App"           # Legacy style for simple values
version = "1.0.0"                 # Modern style for version
debug_mode: true                  # Legacy style for boolean
port = 8080                       # Modern style for number
log_level = "info"                # Modern style for string
========================================
DATABASE CONFIGURATION
========================================
[database]
host: "localhost"                 # Legacy style
port = 5432                       # Modern style
name: "myapp"                     # Legacy style
user = "postgres"                 # Modern style
password: @env("DB_PASSWORD")     # Legacy style with dynamic value
ssl_enabled = false               # Modern style
========================================
SERVER CONFIGURATION
========================================
[server]
host = "0.0.0.0"                 # Modern style for complex config
port = 8080                       # Modern style
ssl_enabled = true                # Modern style
timeout = 30                      # Modern style
max_connections = 100             # Modern style
[server.ssl]
cert_file: "/etc/ssl/cert.pem"    # Legacy style
key_file = "/etc/ssl/key.pem"     # Modern style
ca_file: "/etc/ssl/ca.pem"        # Legacy style
========================================
FEATURE FLAGS
========================================
[features]
caching: true                     # Legacy style for simple boolean
logging = true                    # Modern style for simple boolean
monitoring: false                 # Legacy style
analytics = false                 # Modern style
rate_limiting = true              # Modern style
compression = true                # Modern style

Go Application

// main.go
package main
import (
    "fmt"
    "log"
    "github.com/tusklang/go"
)
// Configuration structures
type AppConfig struct {
    Name      string tsk:"name"
    Version   string tsk:"version"
    DebugMode bool   tsk:"debug_mode"
    Port      int    tsk:"port"
    LogLevel  string tsk:"log_level"
}
type DatabaseConfig struct {
    Host        string tsk:"host"
    Port        int    tsk:"port"
    Name        string tsk:"name"
    User        string tsk:"user"
    Password    string tsk:"password"
    SSLEnabled  bool   tsk:"ssl_enabled"
}
type SSLConfig struct {
    CertFile string tsk:"cert_file"
    KeyFile  string tsk:"key_file"
    CAFile   string tsk:"ca_file"
}
type ServerConfig struct {
    Host            string   tsk:"host"
    Port            int      tsk:"port"
    SSLEnabled      bool     tsk:"ssl_enabled"
    Timeout         int      tsk:"timeout"
    MaxConnections  int      tsk:"max_connections"
    SSL             SSLConfig tsk:"ssl"
}
type FeatureConfig struct {
    Caching       bool tsk:"caching"
    Logging       bool tsk:"logging"
    Monitoring    bool tsk:"monitoring"
    Analytics     bool tsk:"analytics"
    RateLimiting  bool tsk:"rate_limiting"
    Compression   bool tsk:"compression"
}
type Config struct {
    App      AppConfig      tsk:"app"
    Database DatabaseConfig tsk:"database"
    Server   ServerConfig   tsk:"server"
    Features FeatureConfig  tsk:"features"
}
func main() {
    // Load configuration
    config, err := loadConfig("config.tsk")
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("Failed to load configuration: %v", err)
    }
    
    // Use configuration
    fmt.Printf("🚀 Starting %s v%s\n", config.App.Name, config.App.Version)
    fmt.Printf("🌐 Server: %s:%d\n", config.Server.Host, config.Server.Port)
    fmt.Printf("🗄️ Database: %s:%d/%s\n", config.Database.Host, config.Database.Port, config.Database.Name)
    fmt.Printf("🔧 Debug Mode: %v\n", config.App.DebugMode)
    fmt.Printf("📊 Features: Caching=%v, Logging=%v, Monitoring=%v\n", 
        config.Features.Caching, config.Features.Logging, config.Features.Monitoring)
}func loadConfig(filename string) (*Config, error) {
    parser := tusklanggo.NewEnhancedParser()
    
    data, err := parser.ParseFile(filename)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse config file: %w", err)
    }
    
    var config Config
    err = tusklanggo.UnmarshalTSK(data, &config)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal config: %w", err)
    }
    
    return &config, nil
}

📚 Summary

You've learned:

1. Syntax Differences - Colon vs equals syntax in TuskLang 2. Use Cases - When to use each syntax style 3. Go Integration - How both syntaxes work with Go structs 4. Best Practices - Consistency and team standards 5. Migration Strategy - Transitioning between syntax styles 6. Error Handling - Syntax validation and error handling 7. Performance - Parsing performance considerations 8. Complete Examples - Real-world configuration management

🚀 Next Steps

Now that you understand colon vs equals syntax:

1. Choose Your Style - Decide on syntax preferences for your project 2. Set Team Standards - Establish consistent syntax guidelines 3. Migrate Gradually - Transition existing configurations 4. Validate Syntax - Implement syntax validation in your applications 5. Document Standards - Document your syntax preferences

---

"We don't bow to any king" - You now have the flexibility to choose the syntax that works best for your TuskLang Go applications!

← Back to Go Documentation View All Docs →

🐹 ⚖️ TuskLang Go Colon vs Equals Guide

⚖️ TuskLang Go Colon vs Equals Guide

🎯 Syntax Overview

Colon Syntax (Traditional INI-Style)

Equals Syntax (Modern Style)

Mixed Syntax (Flexible)

🔧 Go Integration

Parser Support

📊 Syntax Comparison

Colon Syntax (:)

Equals Syntax (=)

🎯 When to Use Each Syntax

Use Colon (:) When:

Legacy system compatibility

Quick prototyping

Use Equals (=) When:

Modern applications

Use Mixed Syntax When:

Team preference

🔧 Advanced Usage

Dynamic Values with Different Syntax

Nested Objects with Different Syntax

🎯 Best Practices

1. Consistency Within Sections

Bad - Mixed within sections

2. Use Context-Appropriate Syntax

Good - Use colons for simple configurations

3. Team Standards

Team Standard: Use equals (=) for all new configurations

Legacy files may use colons (:)

4. Migration Strategy

🔍 Error Handling

Syntax Validation

Parser Configuration

📊 Performance Considerations

Parsing Performance

🎯 Complete Example

Configuration File

========================================

APPLICATION CONFIGURATION

========================================

========================================

DATABASE CONFIGURATION

========================================

========================================

SERVER CONFIGURATION

========================================

========================================

FEATURE FLAGS

========================================

Go Application

📚 Summary

🚀 Next Steps

Colon Syntax (`:`)

Equals Syntax (`=`)

Use Colon (`:`) When:

Use Equals (`=`) When: