Gin

Gin is the Go web framework that proved you can have convenience without sacrificing speed. Fast routing, middleware support, JSON validation, and structured logging — all the stuff you'd build yourself on net/http but battle-tested and documented.

Echo is the closest competitor — similar performance, slightly different API preferences. Fiber is the Express.js-inspired option for JavaScript refugees. Chi is the minimal stdlib-compatible router. For commercial, there isn't one — Go web frameworks are all open source.

If you're writing a Go API and want to move fast without going full DIY on net/http, Gin is the safe default. The middleware ecosystem covers auth, CORS, rate limiting, and most common needs. 88K stars means every Go problem has a Gin-specific answer on Stack Overflow.

The catch: Gin wraps net/http in ways that sometimes fight Go's stdlib patterns. If you value standard library compatibility and minimal abstractions, Chi is the better choice. And Gin's error handling patterns aren't great — you'll build your own error middleware regardless.