On 3rd April 2025, we were thrilled to join forces with the brilliant team at Black Cow Technology for another exciting edition of Golang Oxford – this time delving deep into one of the most fascinating new additions in Go 1.24: the weak package.
Whether you’re an experienced Software Engineer or just beginning your journey with Go (Golang), this event offered valuable insight into modern memory management techniques – and why this new feature might just be a game-changer for your next project.
The ‘Weak’ Package – A New Era for Memory Management in Go
Our speaker for the evening was Sam Burns, Senior Software Engineer at Upmind, who delivered an engaging and insightful session titled “The Strengths of the ‘weak’ Package.” Sam expertly broke down what makes this new standard library feature so powerful.
So, what’s the big deal?
The weak package introduces weak pointers to Go – lightweight references that don’t stop the garbage collector from reclaiming memory. This means that even if something still technically holds a reference to an object, that object can still be cleaned up behind the scenes.
In practice, this opens up new ways to write more efficient, safer, and scalable applications. Think caching, observer patterns, and canonicalisation maps – all now more manageable with this finer level of control.
Sam showcased practical code examples and use cases, including comparisons with implementations in languages like C++. He highlighted the flexibility and performance benefits of weak references, while also addressing potential gotchas and trade-offs. It was a brilliant deep dive for any Go developer looking to push the boundaries of their software architecture.
Why It Matters to the Developer Community
For many in the room, this was their first real exposure to weak references in Go. As Go matures, features like the weak package show that it’s not just about simplicity – it’s about giving developers more control and power without compromising on clarity.
Events like this are invaluable for Software Engineers in Oxford and beyond, especially those working in performance-critical environments or building large-scale systems. If your work touches backend development, cloud-native architecture, or software tooling, understanding memory management at this level is key.
A Big Thank You to Black Cow Technology
We want to express our sincere gratitude to Black Cow Technology for hosting this event. The atmosphere they helped create – relaxed, welcoming, and highly technical – is what makes the Golang Oxford community so special. A special shout-out to Paul Jefferson and the Black Cow team for making the evening such a success.
Looking Ahead – Join Us in June!
Golang Oxford is your go-to meetup for all things Go, whether you’re curious about new features or want to connect with fellow software engineers in Oxford. From backend services to systems programming, there’s always something new to explore.
🗓️ Our next event is coming in June – and you won’t want to miss it!
👉 Follow Humand Talent on Eventbrite to be the first to hear when registration opens.
We’re Looking for Speakers and Sponsors!
Want to share your Go knowledge or promote your brand to a vibrant community of engineers? We’re actively seeking speakers and sponsors for upcoming events. Whether you’re an individual or a tech business passionate about growing the Go ecosystem, we’d love to hear from you.
📩 Drop us a message at hello@humand.co.uk
About Humand Talent
At Humand Talent, we’re not your typical recruitment business. We partner with mission-driven teams to match exceptional talent across software engineering, product, and design. Whether you’re hiring or exploring your next career move, we bring a human-first approach to every conversation.
Join our community, attend our events, or simply learn more about what we do at humand.co.uk.
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