> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.go-mizu.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Introduction
> A lightweight web framework for Go that stays close to the standard library.
Mizu is a lightweight web framework for Go. The name means "water" in Japanese, reflecting the framework's goal: to flow naturally with Go's standard library rather than replacing it.
## What is Mizu?
Mizu helps you build web servers and APIs in Go. If you've used Python's Flask, Node's Express, or Ruby's Sinatra, Mizu fills a similar role but stays closer to how Go works.
A web framework handles the repetitive parts of building HTTP servers:
* **Routing**: Matching URLs like `/users/123` to your code
* **Request handling**: Reading data from forms, JSON bodies, and URLs
* **Response writing**: Sending back JSON, HTML, or files
* **Middleware**: Running shared code (logging, auth) before handlers
## What makes Mizu different?
Mizu adds a thin layer over Go's `net/http` package instead of replacing it:
| Feature | What it does | Why it matters |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Go 1.22 ServeMux patterns** | Routes like `/users/{id}` with path parameters | Uses the standard library, not a custom router |
| **Context wrapper** | `c.JSON()`, `c.Query()`, `c.Param()` helpers | Less boilerplate, cleaner handlers |
| **Error returns** | Handlers return errors directly | Central error handling, simpler code |
| **Graceful shutdown** | Finishes active requests before stopping | Safe deployments without dropped connections |
| **Structured logging** | Uses Go's `slog` package | JSON logs for production, readable logs for development |
Everything stays explicit. There is no reflection, code generation, or hidden behavior. If you know Go's `net/http`, you already understand how Mizu works.
## Who is Mizu for?
Mizu is a good fit if you:
* Know Go basics and want to build web APIs
* Prefer explicit code over "magic" conventions
* Want to use standard library patterns, not framework-specific ones
* Need a small, focused tool rather than a full-stack framework
Mizu is **not** for you if you want an opinionated framework with ORM, admin panels, and auth built in. For those needs, consider frameworks like Buffalo or Beego.
## A quick taste
Here's a complete Mizu server in 15 lines:
```go theme={null}
package main
import "github.com/go-mizu/mizu"
func main() {
app := mizu.New()
app.Get("/", func(c *mizu.Ctx) error {
return c.Text(200, "Hello, Mizu!")
})
app.Get("/users/{id}", func(c *mizu.Ctx) error {
id := c.Param("id")
return c.JSON(200, map[string]string{"user_id": id})
})
app.Listen(":3000")
}
```
When this runs:
* Visiting `http://localhost:3000/` returns "Hello, Mizu!" as plain text
* Visiting `http://localhost:3000/users/42` returns `{"user_id":"42"}` as JSON
* Pressing Ctrl+C stops the server gracefully
## Get started
Build your first app in five minutes.
Understand the design philosophy.
See what Mizu provides.
Learn how routing, handlers, and middleware work.