Is it better to range over channel or use select?

Question

guys i was wondering if it is better to to range over channel or use select, if I have only one case (my channel) and signal the end with close of the given channel ?

Given the examples:

1. https://play.golang.org/p/3ZFdbgHSKyN

go func() {
    for v := range ch {
        // do some stuff
    }
}()

2. https://play.golang.org/p/iCCkDge8j72

go func() {
    for {
        select {
        case v, ok := <-ch:
            if !ok {
                return
            }

            // do some stuff
        }
    }
}()

Which solution would be preferred and why ? Please consider the fact that goroutines as such might be spawned many times (many workers).

Answer 1

Unless there's another branch of the select, use the following:

for v := range ch {
    // do some stuff
}

The code is simpler and easier to understand than the for/select presented in the question.

If you need to do the receive inside the loop for some reason, then use the following code:

 for  { 
     // do some stuff
     v, ok := <-ch
     if !ok { 
        break 
     } 
     // do some other stuff
 }

As a rule of thumb, single branch select statements should be avoided. A select with a single branch is functionally the same as the branch alone.