Fix Compilation Error "expected declaration, found 'IDENT' item"

When writing code to retrieve data from a Memcache key using the Memcache Go API, one may encounter the compilation error "expected declaration, found 'IDENT' item." This error is commonly faced by developers new to the Go programming language.

The error arises when attempting to declare a variable using the short variable declaration syntax := outside of a function. The := syntax is specifically designed for declaring variables within functions. Here's how to resolve this error:

Option 1: Declare Variable Inside a Function

Enclose the variable declaration within a function, as shown below:

import "appengine/memcache"

func MyFunc() {
    item := &memcache.Item{
        Key:   "lyric",
        Value: []byte("Oh, give me a home"),
    }
    // ...
}

Option 2: Declare Variable as Global

Alternatively, you can declare the variable as a global variable using the var keyword:

import "appengine/memcache"

var item = &memcache.Item{
    Key:   "lyric",
    Value: []byte("Oh, give me a home"),
}