idea to avoid using pointers in go structs just for happy patching

gistfile1.go

type Repository struct {
    Name        string `json:"name"`
    Description string `json:"description"`
    Private     bool   `json:"private"`
}

// response to blog post https://willnorris.com/2014/05/go-rest-apis-and-pointers

type RepositoryPatch struct {
  Repository
  patched_fields []string
}

func (rp *RepositoryPatch) SetPrivate(private bool) {
  rp.patch_fields = append(rp.patch_fields,"private")
  rp.Private = private
}

func (rp *RepositoryPatch) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
	// marshal rp to []byte then unmarshal to map[string]interface{}
	// filter patched_fields and then marshal again
	// ;)
}