interface to bytes and vice versa.go

// source: https://play.golang.org/p/mJPMN1_KSv
// so: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23003793/convert-arbitrary-golang-interface-to-byte-array
package main

import (
	"bytes"
	"encoding/gob"
	"fmt"
)

type Profile struct {
	Name string
	Age  int
}

func main() {

	// --- encode ---
	profile := &Profile{
		Name: "Roman",
		Age:  30,
	}

	bts, err := getBytes(profile)
	if err != nil {
		fmt.Println(err.Error())
		return
	}

	// --- decode ---
	var decodedProfile Profile
	err = getInterface(bts, &decodedProfile)
	if err != nil {
		fmt.Println(err.Error())
		return
	}

	fmt.Println(decodedProfile.Name)
}

func getBytes(data interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
	var buf bytes.Buffer
	enc := gob.NewEncoder(&buf)
	err := enc.Encode(data)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}
	return buf.Bytes(), nil
}

func getInterface(bts []byte, data interface{}) error {
	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(bts)
	dec := gob.NewDecoder(buf)
	err := dec.Decode(data)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	return nil
}