go install — Hands-on Tasks¶

Go 1.21+. Each task has explicit acceptance criteria.

Task 1: PATH setup¶

Make installed tools runnable.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go env GOPATH and go env GOBIN print their values. - [ ] You add the correct bin directory to PATH in your shell profile. - [ ] A new shell can find binaries from that directory.

Task 2: Install your own command¶

Init a module with a main and install it.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go install . succeeds. - [ ] Running the command by name (no path) from a different directory works. - [ ] The binary exists in your bin directory with the directory's name.

Task 3: Install a remote tool¶

Install a versioned third-party tool.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go install honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck@v0.5.1 succeeds. - [ ] staticcheck -version (or --version) runs. - [ ] go version -m "$(go env GOPATH)/bin/staticcheck" shows version v0.5.1. - [ ] Your project's go.mod is unchanged (git diff go.mod empty).

Task 4: latest vs pinned¶

Observe the difference.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go install <tool>@latest resolves the newest version (note network activity). - [ ] go install <tool>@<exactversion> is reproducible and cached on the second run. - [ ] You write one sentence on why CI should pin versions.

Task 5: Install with build stamping¶

Stamp a version into your own tool.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go install -ldflags="-X main.version=1.0.0" . installs the binary. - [ ] Running it shows 1.0.0. - [ ] go version -m <binary> reflects the build settings.

Task 6: Cross-arch install location¶

See where cross installs go.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm64 go install . succeeds. - [ ] The binary appears under $GOPATH/bin/linux_arm64/, not directly in bin/. - [ ] You can explain why Go separates it.

Task 7: Install all commands in a repo¶

Use the ./cmd/... pattern.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] A repo with two cmd/<name> directories installs both via go install ./cmd/.... - [ ] Both binaries appear in the bin directory with their respective names.

Task 8: tool directive (Go 1.24+)¶

If on Go 1.24+, track a tool in go.mod.

Acceptance criteria - [ ] go get -tool honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck adds a tool line to go.mod. - [ ] go tool staticcheck ./... runs the pinned tool. - [ ] You explain how this prevents team version drift.