/cc @griesemer @alandonovan

You can use types.Universe.Lookup("rune").Type(): https://play.golang.org/p/4saiCBPITd

That was fast :)

Thanks for the workaround. However, the documentation point has yet to be addressed.

Robert, how about something like this?

// The Typ array contains the canonical Basic type for a given kind.
//
// Because the aliases "rune" and "byte" existed prior to the addition
// of type aliases to the language, there is a single kind for Rune and Int32,
// and a single kind for Byte and Uint8. To obtain the Basic type
// representing one of the named aliases, look it up by name using
// Universe.Lookup(name).Type().
var Typ = ...

Sure, sounds good.

What's also missing is a doc string for Universe (and Unsafe, while there).

Care to send a CL? Or should I do it?

Apologies for closing early - had not noticed the point on the docs.

Some suggestions for the doc wording:

The Typ array

Typ is a slice, technically. The doc comment should start with the declaration's name.

there is a single kind for Rune and Int32, and a single kind for Byte and Uint8

It would perhaps be clearer to say that Rune and Int32 are equal, and Byte and Uint8 are equal, and thus in Typ, Rune and Byte correspond with the Basics for Int32 and Uint8, respectively.

To obtain the Basic type representing one of the named aliases

It might be unclear how these Basics don't represent the alias types, since they're technically equal and interchangeable from a type checking point of view. Perhaps it would help to point out how the names for those Basics won't match what's assumed for the Rune and Byte kinds.

Altogether, perhaps something like this:

// Typ contains the canonical Basic for a BasicKind. Since Byte and Rune
// are aliases, the Basics they correspond to do not have matching names.
// To get the Basics for them with matching names, use Universe.Lookup(name).Type().
var Typ = []*Basic{ ...

In any case, thanks for documenting it!

Change https://golang.org/cl/85075 mentions this issue: go/types: document Typ slice