What is the Amortized Time Complexity of Go's `append` Function?

Amortized Complexity of the append Function

The append function in Go language is used to append elements to a slice. The complexity of this operation can vary based on the implementation.

In the Go programming language, append operates in amortized constant time. According to the Go Programming Language Specification, append allocates a new, sufficiently large slice if necessary. The precise algorithm for growing the target slice is implementation dependent and may vary between compilers.

The current gc compiler implementation uses an amortized constant time algorithm, which means that while the operation may take more time for a single append, it optimizes multiple append operations over time. In this algorithm, the capacity of the slice is increased by doubling the size or by a certain percentage each time it needs to be reallocated. This ensures that the cost of resizing is amortized over multiple append operations.

It's important to note that the exact implementation of the append function can differ depending on factors such as the optimizer used and the underlying hardware architecture. However, in general, it behaves as an amortized constant time operation, providing efficient append capabilities for slices.

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