Expire the IDLE worker routines if they don't receive work in specified time/ https://play.golang.org/p/UN-1GGGMfzi

expire_workers.go

// https://play.golang.org/p/hkAZVC2-H3S

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"time"
)

func main() {
	fmt.Println("Hello, playground")
	in := make(chan int, 4)

	go worker(1, in)
	go worker(2, in)

	go func() {
		time.Sleep(time.Second * 2)
		in <- 1
	}()

	t := time.NewTimer(time.Second * 10)
	<-t.C
	t.Stop()
}

func worker(id int, in <-chan int) {
	d := time.Second * 5
	t := time.NewTicker(d)

	defer func() {
		t.Stop()

		fmt.Printf("%d worker exited\n", id)
	}()

	for {
		select {
		case i := <-in:
			fmt.Printf("received %d on worker %d\n", i, id)
			// reset the ticker
			t.Reset(d)

		case <-t.C:
			fmt.Printf("worker %d reached max idle duration, will exit\n", id)

			return
		}
	}
}