Defer statements
A “defer” statement invokes a function whose execution is deferred to the moment the surrounding function returns.
DeferStmt = “defer” Expression .
The expression must be a function or method call. Each time the “defer” statement executes, the parameters to the function call are evaluated and saved anew but the function is not invoked. Deferred function calls are executed in LIFO order immediately before the surrounding function returns, but after the return values, if any, have been evaluated.
lock(l);
defer unlock(l); // unlocking happens before surrounding function returns
// prints 3 2 1 0 before surrounding function returns
for i := 0; i <= 3; i++ {
defer fmt.Print(i);
}
Update:
defer is now also the idiomatic way to handle panic in an exception-like manner:
package main
import "fmt"
func main() {
f()
fmt.Println("Returned normally from f.")
}
func f() {
defer func() {
if r := recover(); r != nil {
fmt.Println("Recovered in f", r)
}
}()
fmt.Println("Calling g.")
g(0)
fmt.Println("Returned normally from g.")
}
func g(i int) {
if i > 3 {
fmt.Println("Panicking!")
panic(fmt.Sprintf("%v", i))
}
defer fmt.Println("Defer in g", i)
fmt.Println("Printing in g", i)
g(i+1)
}