The default GOPATH

Wed, Dec 14, 2016

Go 1.8 will set a default GOPATH if the GOPATH env variable is not set.

The requirement of setting a GOPATH has been a major issue for Go users who installed the Go tools for the first time and got the “you have to set a GOPATH” error in their initial experience with the tools. Explaining the GOPATH is and instructing how to set this env variable were both distracting new users away from using Go. This was especially true for users who are not necessarily developing in Go but using go get to download commands.

Go 1.8 is introducing a default GOPATH. If you don’t set one, the tools will use the default. Default GOPATH is:

• $HOME/go on Unix-like systems
• %USERPROFILE%\go on Windows

Even though you don’t have care about setting this variable, there are few items that still requires your attention.

• Users still need to add $GOPATH/bin into their PATH to run binaries installed by go get and go install.
• The users who are developing with the Go language still need to understand that the presence of GOPATH, its location and its structure.
• If your GOROOT (the location where you checkout the Go’s source code) is the default GOPATH and if you don’t have a GOPATH set, the tools will reject to use the default GOPATH not to corrupt your GOROOT.

You still may prefer to set a custom GOPATH if the default is not working for you.

If a custom GOPATH is set, go env GOPATH will report its value.