Geocoding API in Go
Complete Go integration guide for the Geocoding API. Copy the code below, add your RapidAPI key, and start building.
Prerequisites
- 1.Sign up for a free account on RapidAPI
- 2.Subscribe to the Geocoding API (free tier available)
- 3.Copy your
X-RapidAPI-Keyfrom the dashboard
Complete Go Example
package main
import (
"encoding/json"
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
)
func main() {
url := "https://geocoding-by-helix-api.p.rapidapi.com/search?q=Berlin"
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", url, nil)
req.Header.Set("X-RapidAPI-Key", "YOUR_API_KEY")
req.Header.Set("X-RapidAPI-Host", "geocoding-by-helix-api.p.rapidapi.com")
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
fmt.Println("Error:", err)
return
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
var result map[string]interface{}
json.Unmarshal(body, &result)
fmt.Println("Status:", result["status"])
fmt.Println("Result:", result["data"])
}Response Format
All Helix-API endpoints return a consistent JSON envelope:
{
"status": "ok",
"data": { ... },
"meta": {
"request_id": "req_abc123",
"latency_ms": 42
}
}On errors, status becomes "error" and a message field explains what went wrong.
Error Handling
| Status | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
200 | Success | Parse the response body normally |
400 | Bad request | Check your request parameters |
401 | Unauthorized | Verify your X-RapidAPI-Key header |
429 | Rate limited | Wait and retry with exponential backoff |
500 | Server error | Retry after a short delay |
Go Best Practices
Zero dependencies
Go's standard library (net/http) is all you need. The example calls the Geocoding API without any third-party packages.
Struct for type-safe responses
Define a struct matching the JSON response and use json.Unmarshal. This gives you compile-time safety and field access.
Context for timeouts
Use context.WithTimeout to set a deadline. This is idiomatic Go and prevents goroutine leaks.
Connection pooling
Reuse the http.Client across requests. Go's default client pools connections automatically — just don't create a new one per request.
Geocoding API Endpoints
/searchForward geocoding — place name to coordinates
/reverseReverse geocoding — coordinates to address
Other Languages
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