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Using Go 1.21.0 Toolset

Red Hat Developer Tools 1

Installing and using Go 1.21.0 Toolset

Jacob Valdez

Red Hat Developer Group Documentation Team

Abstract

Go Toolset is a Red Hat offering for developers on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system. Use this guide for an overview of Go Toolset, to learn how to invoke and use different versions of Go tools, and to find resources with more in-depth information.

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Chapter 1. Go Toolset
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Go Toolset is a Red Hat offering for developers on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It provides the Go programming language tools and libraries. Note that Go is alternatively known as golang.

Go Toolset is available as a module for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. Go Toolset is available as packages for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.

1.1. Go Toolset components
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The following components are available as a part of Go Toolset:

Expand
NameVersionDescription

golang

RHEL 8 — 1.21.0, RHEL 9 — 1.21.0

A Go compiler.

delve

RHEL 8 — 1.21.0, RHEL 9 — 1.21.0

A Go debugger.

1.2. Go Toolset compatibility
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Go Toolset is available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 on the following architectures:

  • AMD and Intel 64-bit
  • 64-bit ARM
  • IBM Power Systems, Little Endian
  • 64-bit IBM Z

1.3. Installing Go Toolset
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Complete the following steps to install Go Toolset, including all dependent packages.

Prerequisites

  • All available Red Hat Enterprise Linux updates are installed.

Procedure

On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, install the go-toolset module by running: 

# yum module install go-toolset
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, install the go-toolset package by running: 

# dnf install go-toolset
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

1.4. Installing Go documentation
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You can install documentation for the Go programming language on your local system.

Prerequisites

Procedure

To install the golang-docs package, run the following command:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    # yum install golang-docs
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    You can find the documentation under the following path: /usr/lib/golang/doc/go_spec.html.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    # dnf install golang-docs
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    You can find the documentation under the following path: /usr/lib/golang/doc/go_spec.html.

Chapter 2. The Go compiler
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The Go compiler is a build tool and dependency manager for the Go programming language. It offers error checking and optimization of your code.

2.1. Prerequisites
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2.2. Setting up a Go workspace
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To compile a Go program, you need to set up a Go workspace.

Procedure

  1. Create a workspace directory as a subdirectory of $GOPATH/src.

    A common choice is $HOME/go.

  2. Place your source files into your workspace directory.

  3. Set the location of your workspace directory as an environment variable to the $HOME/.bashrc file by running: 

    $ echo 'export GOPATH=<workspace_dir>' >> $HOME/.bashrc
$ source $HOME/.bashrc
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Replace <workspace_dir> with the name of your workspace directory.

2.3. Compiling a Go program
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You can compile your Go program using the Go compiler. The Go compiler creates an executable binary file as a result of compiling.

Prerequisites

  • A set up Go workspace with configured modules.
    For information on how to set up a workspace, see Setting up a Go workspace.

Procedure

In your project directory, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    $ go build <output_file> <go_main_package>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <output_file> with the desired name of your output file and <go_main_package> with the name of your main package.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    $ go build <output_file> <go_main_package>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <output_file> with the desired name of your output file and <go_main_package> with the name of your main package.

2.4. Running a Go program
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The Go compiler creates an executable binary file as a result of compiling. Complete the following steps to execute this file and run your program.

Prerequisites

Procedure

To run your program, run in the directory containing the executable file: 

$ ./<file_name>
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  • Replace <file_name> with the name of your executable file.

2.5. Installing compiled Go projects
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You can install already compiled Go projects to use their executable files and libraries in further Go projects. After installation, the executable files and libraries of the project are copied to according directories in the Go workspace. Its dependencies are installed as well.

Prerequisites

Procedure

To install a Go project, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    $ go install <go_project>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <go_project> with the name of the Go project you want to install.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    $ go install <go_project>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <go_project> with the name of the Go project you want to install.

2.6. Downloading and installing Go projects
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You can download and install third-party Go projects from online resources to use their executable files and libraries in further Go projects. After installation, the executable files and libraries of the project are copied to according directories in the Go workspace. Its dependencies are installed as well.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  • To download and install a Go project, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ go install <third_party_go_project>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <third_party_go_project> with the name of the project you want to download.

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ go install <third_party_go_project>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <third_party_go_project> with the name of the project you want to download.

  • For information on possible values of third-party projects, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ go help importpath
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ go help importpath
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

Chapter 3. The gofmt formatting tool
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Instead of a style guide, the Go programming language uses the gofmt code formatting tool. gofmt automatically formats your code according to the Go layout rules.

3.1. Prerequisites
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3.2. Formatting code
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You can use the gofmt formatting tool to format code in a given path. When the path leads to a single file, the changes apply only to the file. When the path leads to a directory, all .go files in the directory are processed.

Procedure

To format your code in a given path, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    $ gofmt -w <code_path>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    $ gofmt -w <code_path>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.
Note

To print the formatted code to standard output instead of writing it to the original file, omit the -w option.

3.3. Previewing changes to code
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You can use the gofmt formatting tool to preview changes done by formatting code in a given path. The output in unified diff format is printed to standard output.

Procedure

To show differences in your code in a given path, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    $ gofmt -d <code_path>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to compare.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    $ gofmt -d <code_path>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to compare.

3.4. Simplifying code
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You can use the gofmt formatting tool to simplify your code.

Procedure

  • To simplify code in a given path, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ gofmt -s -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to simplify.

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ gofmt -s -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to simplify.

  • To apply the changes, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ gofmt -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ gofmt -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.

3.5. Refactoring code
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You can use the gofmt formatting tool to refactor your code by applying arbitrary substitutions.

Procedure

  • To refactor your code in a given path, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ gofmt -r -w <rewrite_rule> <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to refactor and <rewrite_rule> with the rule you want it to be rewritten by.

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ gofmt -r -w <rewrite_rule> <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to refactor and <rewrite_rule> with the rule you want it to be rewritten by.

  • To apply the changes, run:

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

      $ gofmt -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.

    • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

      $ gofmt -w <code_path>
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
      • Replace <code_path> with the path to the code you want to format.

Chapter 4. The Go race detector
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Go Toolset includes the Go race detector, which is a tool of the Go standard library for finding race conditions.
Note that the race detector has a significant runtime resource overhead.

4.1. Prerequisites
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4.2. Using the Go race detector
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Use the Go race detector to check your code for race conditions.

Procedure

To use the race detector, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    $ go build -race -o <output_file> <go_main_package>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <output_file> with the name of your executable file and <go_main_package> with the name of the package you want to test.

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    $ go build -race -o <output_file> <go_main_package>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <output_file> with the name of your executable file and <go_main_package> with the name of the package you want to test.

Chapter 5. Container images with Go Toolset
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You can build your own Go Toolset containers from either Red Hat Enterprise Linux container images or Red Hat Universal Base Images (UBI).

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 container images of Go Toolset contain the following packages:

Expand
ComponentVersionPackage

Go

1.21

RHEL 8 — go-toolset-1.21.0 RHEL 9 — go-toolset-1.21.0

Pull the container image from the Red Hat registry before running your container and performing actions.

Procedure

To pull the required image, run:

  • For an image based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: 

    # podman pull registry.redhat.io/rhel8/go-toolset
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

  • For an image based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: 

    # podman pull registry.redhat.io/rhel9/go-toolset
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

On RHEL 8, install the UBI Go Toolset container image to access Go Toolset.
Alternatively, you can install Go Toolset to the RHEL 8 base UBI container image. For further information, see Accessing Go Toolset from the base UBI container image on RHEL 8.

Procedure

To pull the UBI Go Toolset container image from the Red Hat registry, run:

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 

    # podman pull registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/go-toolset
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

  • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 

    # podman pull registry.access.redhat.com/ubi9/go-toolset
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

On RHEL 8, Go Toolset packages are part of the Red Hat Universal Base Images (UBIs) repositories, which means you can install Go Toolset as an addition to the base UBI container image. To keep the container image size small, install only individual packages instead of the entire Go Toolset.
Alternatively, you can install the UBI Go Toolset container image to access Go Toolset. For further information, see Accessing the UBI Go Toolset container image on RHEL 8.

Prerequisites

  • An existing Containerfile.
    For information on creating Containerfiles, see the Dockerfile reference page.

Procedure

  • To create a container image containing Go Toolset, add the following lines to your Containerfile: 
FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/ubi:latest

RUN yum module install -y go-toolset
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

  • To create a container image containing an individual package only, add the following lines to your Containerfile: 

    RUN yum install -y <package-name>
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    • Replace <package-name> with the name of the package you want to install.

Chapter 6. Changes in Go Toolset
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Go Toolset has been updated from version 1.20 to 1.21.0 on RHEL 8 and RHEL 9.

Notable changes include:

  • min, max, and clear built-ins have been added.
  • Package initialization order is more precisely defined.
  • Type inferencing is improved.
  • Changes to loop variable semantics.
  • Backwards compatibility support is improved.

Legal Notice
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The text of and illustrations in this document are licensed by Red Hat under a Creative Commons Attribution–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license ("CC-BY-SA"). An explanation of CC-BY-SA is available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/. In accordance with CC-BY-SA, if you distribute this document or an adaptation of it, you must provide the URL for the original version.
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