go - Understanding golang date formatting for time package -

so have function performing well.

func today()(result string){     current_time := time.now().local()     result =  current_time.format("01/02/2006")     return } 

prints mm/dd/yyyy , thought more readable if had value greater 12 in days position make clear mm/dd/yyyy changed following

func today()(result string){     current_time := time.now().local()     result =  current_time.format("01/23/2004")     return } 

which chagrin caused bad results. prints mm/ddhh/dd0mm

realizing mistake see format defined reference time...

mon jan 2 15:04:05 -0700 mst 2006 

i'm wondering if there other instances moment being used formatting reference date times, , if reference moment has nickname (like null island)?

the values in date string not arbitrary. can't change 02 03 , expect work. date formatter looks specific values, , knows 1 means month, 2 means day of month, etc.

changing 01/02/2006 01/23/2004 changing human-readable form says first name: ______ last name: ______ 1 says first name: ______ ice cream: ______. can't expect know ice cream should mean last name.

the name

the name provided "reference time", here:

parse parses formatted string , returns time value represents. layout defines format showing how the reference time, defined be

mon jan 2 15:04:05 -0700 mst 2006 

and here:

these predefined layouts use in time.format , time.parse. the reference time used in layouts specific time:

mon jan 2 15:04:05 mst 2006 

which unix time 1136239445. since mst gmt-0700, the reference time can thought of as

01/02 03:04:05pm '06 -0700 

to define own format, write down the reference time formatted way; see values of constants ansic, stampmicro or kitchen examples. model demonstrate reference time looks format , parse methods can apply same transformation general time value.

to specify you're talking go's reference time, i'd "go's reference time." or blatantly obvious, "go's time.parse reference time."

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as aside, function can shortened:

func today() string {     return time.now().local().format("01/02/2006") }