Basically, the HTTP server's "mux" has a map of path -> handler interface
Interfaces are used here, I assume, to allow you to implement complex path handlers that have state.
For example the file server from the standard package is a struct that contains the root dir for file service and implements the handler interface.
that said, for simple stuff, a func is easier and more clear. So they added a special generator so you can easily pass in a func.
Take a look at: server.go
from line: 1216 (as of today)
1216 type HandlerFunc func(ResponseWriter, *Request)
1217
1218 // ServeHTTP calls f(w, r).
1219 func (f HandlerFunc) ServeHTTP(w ResponseWriter, r *Request) {
1220 f(w, r)
1221 }
What they are doing is implementing the interface on a custom type (which happens to match the api of the interface) that just calls itself.