How to Implement Timeout Middleware in Go

Implement timeout middleware by wrapping the http.Handler with a function that creates a context with a deadline and passes it to the wrapped handler.

func TimeoutMiddleware(next http.Handler, timeout time.Duration) http.Handler {
    return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(r.Context(), timeout)
        defer cancel()
        r = r.WithContext(ctx)
        next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
    })
}

Use it by wrapping your handler: http.ListenAndServe(":8080", TimeoutMiddleware(myHandler, 5*time.Second)).

Timeout middleware in Go adds a safety net to your web server that stops a request if it takes too long. It works like a kitchen timer: if the cooking (processing) isn't done when the timer rings, the system cuts off the request to save resources. You use this to prevent slow or stuck requests from freezing your server.