FAQ about GoLand

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What configuration is needed before the start?

To start coding, you need to install the Go SDK. In most cases, the GOROOT and GOPATH variables are set automatically.

If the Go SDK is already installed, GoLand will detect and use it automatically.

If the Go SDK is not detected, you can either download it from the official repository or locate the SDK directory manually, all directly within GoLand. You can do this during project creation or later in the settings.

GOROOT is automatically set to the Go SDK installation directory. This directory must include the bin and src folders.

GOPATH is automatically set to $HOME/go on Unix and macOS, and to %USERPROFILE%\go on Windows. You can configure the global, project-level, and module-level GOPATH values in the settings (press Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Go | GOPATH).

How do I see the results of static analysis tools in the editor?

Results of static analysis tools are displayed in the Output tab of the Run tool window.

GoLand integrates the Go Linter plugin, bringing you support for golangci-lint. This allows you to configure your linters. You can analyze and enhance your Go code by selecting the specific checks that matter most to you. For more information, refer to Configuring golangci-lint.

How do I change the output directory of the application binary (go build -o)?

Navigate to Run | Edit Configurations, then select the run/debug configuration you use to run your application. In the Output directory field, specify the path you want to use as the output directory for the application binary.

Alternatively, open the run/debug configuration and add the -o directory_path flag in the Go tool arguments field.

How do I provide arguments to `go build` and `go test` commands?

Navigate to Run | Edit Configurations, click the run/debug configuration that you use to run your application or your tests. In the Go tool arguments field, type a space-separated list of arguments that you want to use with go build or go test.

If you need to set build constraints, open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Go Build Tags. . For more information about possible build constraints, refer to Build Constraints at pkg.go.dev.

How to add test flags like '-race', '-failfast', '-short', and others

Navigate to Run | Edit Configurations, then select the run/debug configuration you use to run your application or tests. In the Go tool arguments field, specify the flags you want to use:

• -race: enables data race detection. Supported only on linux/amd64, freebsd/amd64, darwin/amd64, windows/amd64, linux/ppc64le, and linux/arm64 (only for 48-bit VMA).

• -test.failfast: stops running new tests after the first test failure.

• -test.short: reduces the run time of long-running tests.

• -test.benchmem: prints memory allocation statistics for benchmarks.

For more test flags, refer to the Go documentation on pkg.go.dev.

How to change the name of a compiled binary?

Navigate to Run | Edit Configurations, click the run/debug configuration that you use to run your application or your tests. In the Go tool arguments field, specify -o customExecutableName.

How do I open a VS Code project in GoLand?

Navigate to File | Open, select the folder you want to open, and click Open.

What is the difference between workspaces and projects?

The main difference is that a workspace can contain multiple projects. In Visual Studio Code, you can add multiple projects as roots to your workspace (see Multi-root Workspaces in the Visual Studio Code documentation).

GoLand does not use the concept of workspaces. To achieve a multi-root structure in GoLand, you need to define projects you want to add as content roots (see How can I open several projects in GoLand simultaneously?).

If your workspace contains only one project, the difference between these two concepts becomes negligible.

How can I open several projects in GoLand simultaneously?

You can add any number of directories as content roots. To add a content root, open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Project structure | Add Content Root. .

Alternatively, go to File | Open, select the folder of the project you want to add, and click Open. In the dialog that appears, choose Attach to add it to the current project.

How do I change the Go SDK for my project?

You can either download the Go SDK from the official repository or specify the path to a local installation.

Open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Go GOROOT. . Click Add. To use a local copy of the Go SDK, select Local. To download the SDK, click Download.

How do I run or debug my application?

To run or debug your application, you can use one of the following options:

• In the gutter next to the code, click the Run application icon and select Run <method_name> in <file_name> or Debug <method_name> in <file_name>.

• Right-click the file or method in the editor and select Run <method_name> in <file_name> Ctrl+Shift+F10 or Debug <method_name> in <file_name> Shift+F9.

• Create a run/debug configuration. For more information, refer to Create a run/debug configuration.

How do I view dependencies for my project in the same window?

You can view all project dependencies in a diagram. Right-click the go.mod file in your project and select Diagrams | Show Diagram.

To ensure that Go modules are enabled in the project, open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Go Go modules. . Make sure that the Enable Go modules integration checkbox is selected.

How do I close a project?

Click File | Close Project.

How do I start with VCS integration?

Version control integration is enabled automatically when you open a project with a recognized VCS root.

To enable VCS integration manually, go to VCS | Enable Version Control Integration. In the Enable Version Control Integration dialog, select the version control system you want to use and click OK.

Can I use the VS Code key bindings in GoLand?

Yes, you can use the VS Code key bindings in GoLand by installing the VS Code Keymap plugin.

To install the plugin, use one of the following methods:

• Download it directly from the JetBrains Plugin Repository: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/12062-vs-code-keymap/.

• Open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Plugins. . In the search field, type VS Code Keymap. Locate the plugin by JetBrains and click Install.

How do I see the documentation on mouseover?

Hover over a code element to view its documentation.

How does code completion in GoLand work?

By default, GoLand displays the code completion popup automatically as you type. You can also press Ctrl+Space or select Code | Completion | Basic from the main menu to invoke it manually.

How can I use multiple carets/cursors?

To add or remove multiple carets, press and hold Shift+Alt and click where you want to place the next caret.

Alternatively, you can press Ctrl twice and, without releasing it, use the Up or Down arrow keys to add carets line by line. To create a rectangular selection, press Ctrl and drag the caret across multiple lines.

How can I select and rename multiple elements at once?

In the editor, place the caret on an element you want to rename and press Shift+F6. Alternatively, select Refactor | Rename from the main menu.

Use the Rename refactoring to change the names of symbols, files, and all their references throughout your code.

What are the automated code refactoring tools available?

You can view the full list of available refactorings for the current context under the Refactor menu.

• Change signature: changes a method or function name, adds, removes, or reorders parameters, and assigns default values to new non-variadic parameters.

• Extract refactorings: extracts code fragments that can be grouped. You can extract a constant, variable, method, or interface.

• Inline refactoring: moves an extracted code fragment back to its calling location. This is the opposite of the Extract refactoring.

• Copy refactoring: copies a file, directory, or package to a different location.

• Move refactoring: relocates source code elements to another package or file. For example, you can move methods to a different package.

Are there any special code analysis features in GoLand?

GoLand supports gotest, gocheck, and gobench. These packages help ensure that your code behaves correctly and as expected.

You can also use profiling to analyze the performance of your tests and benchmarks. Profiling provides insights into CPU and memory usage, and shows the frequency and duration of function and method calls. For more information, refer to Profiling for tests.

How to disable code folding for one-line returns/panics and formatted strings?

Open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Editor | General | Code Folding. In the Go section, clear the checkboxes for one-line returns, panics, or formatted strings to disable their code folding.

How do I find the plugin that I need?

Open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Plugins. . In the search field, type the name of the plugin or technology you are looking for. Press Enter to start the search.

Alternatively, you can search for a plugin at plugins.jetbrains.com and install it manually.

How do I install the plugin that I have available on my computer?

In the Settings dialog (Ctrl+Alt+S) , select Plugins, and click Install Plugin from Disk. Choose the plugin archive file and click OK. Restart the IDE if prompted.

I want to write a plugin for GoLand. Are there any instructions?

You can use any edition of GoLand to develop plugins. It provides an open API, a dedicated SDK, module support, and run/debug configurations to help you get started.

The recommended approach is to use Gradle. For more information, refer to the IntelliJ Platform SDK Developer Guide.

Can I use Visual Studio Code plugins in GoLand?

No, Visual Studio Code plugins are not compatible with GoLand. However, you can often find a similar plugin in the JetBrains Plugin Marketplace. For more information, see How do I find the plugin that I need?