GoFrame — Modular Full-Stack Web Framework for Go

Introduction

GoFrame (GF) is a comprehensive Go application framework that bundles an HTTP server, database ORM, caching, configuration management, and a development CLI. It targets teams building production web services who want convention over configuration without stitching together separate libraries.

What GoFrame Does

• Provides a high-performance HTTP server with middleware and routing groups
• Includes a full ORM with model generation, transactions, and soft deletes
• Manages configuration from files, environment variables, and remote sources
• Ships a CLI tool for project scaffolding, code generation, and database migration
• Offers built-in modules for logging, validation, i18n, and scheduled tasks

Architecture Overview

GoFrame follows a modular monolith design where each subsystem (HTTP, ORM, cache, config, log) is an independent module behind a unified API. The core container provides dependency injection, and modules communicate through well-defined interfaces. The ORM uses a chainable query builder on top of database/sql with driver adapters for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and others.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install the CLI: go install github.com/gogf/gf/cmd/gf/v2@latest
• Scaffold a project: gf init projectname
• Configure via manifest/config/config.yaml for server, database, and logging
• Generate model and DAO code from database tables: gf gen dao
• Deploy as a single binary; use gf build for cross-platform compilation

Key Features

• Unified framework reduces dependency management overhead
• Code generation accelerates CRUD development with type-safe models
• Context-aware logging and tracing integrate with OpenTelemetry
• Modular design allows using individual components without the full framework
• Active Chinese and English documentation with growing community

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Gin — Lightweight HTTP router only; GoFrame provides ORM, config, and CLI on top
• Beego — Similar full-stack approach but GoFrame has a more modern API and active maintenance
• Echo — Focused on HTTP middleware; lacks built-in ORM and code generation
• Kratos — Microservices-oriented with gRPC focus; GoFrame targets monolithic and modular apps

FAQ

Q: Is GoFrame suitable for microservices? A: Yes. Its modular design lets you use only the HTTP and gRPC components for lightweight services.

Q: How does the ORM compare to GORM? A: GoFrame ORM is tightly integrated with the framework and offers code generation. GORM is standalone and more widely adopted outside GoFrame projects.

Q: Can I use GoFrame with an existing Go project? A: Yes. Individual modules like the HTTP server or ORM can be imported independently.

Q: What databases does GoFrame support? A: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Oracle, SQL Server, and ClickHouse via community drivers.

Sources

• https://github.com/gogf/gf
• https://goframe.org/