<a id="devpack-for-go"></a>

# Devpack for Go

This tutorial shows how to use `devpack-for-go` to install a set of Go development tools, configure command aliases, use the available tools, and integrate the tools with VS Code on Ubuntu. The devpack packages the tools in a single snap that works alongside the official Go snap.

For background on devpacks, see [Devpacks](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/explanation/devpacks.md#devpacks). For instructions on manually installing the Go toolchain, see [How to set up a development environment for Go on Ubuntu](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/howto/go-setup.md#install-golang).

## Installing the devpack

`devpack-for-go` is a companion snap for the official `go` snap. It packages commonly used Go development tools while using the Go toolchain from the Go snap. Install both snaps with:

`dev@ubuntu:~$ ``sudo snap install go --classic``dev@ubuntu:~$ ``sudo snap install devpack-for-go --classic`

The devpack includes the following tools:

- [Delve](https://github.com/go-delve/delve) – a debugger for Go programs
- [`gopls`](https://pkg.go.dev/golang.org/x/tools/gopls) – the official Go language server
- [`golangci-lint`](https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint) – a fast linter
- [`govulncheck`](https://pkg.go.dev/golang.org/x/vuln/cmd/govulncheck) – a vulnerability checker
- [`gotests`](https://github.com/cweill/gotests) – a test generator
- [`gofumpt`](https://github.com/mvdan/gofumpt) – a stricter formatter

## Running the setup guide

The `setup-guide` command prints instructions for configuring command aliases and VS Code. Run it with:

`dev@ubuntu:~$ ``devpack-for-go.setup-guide`

The guide covers two tasks.

### Enabling command aliases

Without aliases, each tool is available under its snap-qualified name, such as `devpack-for-go.gopls`. To run the tools directly, create aliases with `snap alias`:

`dev@ubuntu:~$ ``sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.delve dlv
> sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.gopls gopls
> sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.golangci-lint golangci-lint
> sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.govulncheck govulncheck
> sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.gotests gotests
> sudo snap alias devpack-for-go.gofumpt gofumpt`

### Configuring VS Code

To integrate the tools into VS Code, add the following block to your `settings.json` file, usually at `~/.config/Code/User/settings.json`:

```json
{
  "go.alternateTools": {
    "dlv": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.delve",
    "gopls": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.gopls",
    "golangci-lint": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.golangci-lint",
    "govulncheck": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.govulncheck",
    "gotests": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.gotests",
    "gofumpt": "/snap/bin/devpack-for-go.gofumpt"
  },
  "go.useLanguageServer": true,
  "go.lintTool": "golangci-lint",
  "go.formatTool": "gofumpt"
}
```

After updating the settings, restart VS Code or run **Developer: Reload Window**.

## Using the tools

The tools installed by the devpack work on any Go project. To try them, create a small project:

`dev@ubuntu:~$ ``mkdir heygo && cd heygo``dev@ubuntu:~/heygo$ ``go mod init youruser.github.com/heygo`

Create a source file with a deliberate formatting issue:

```go
package main

import "fmt"

func greeting() string {
return "Hey Go!"
}

func main() {
fmt.Println(greeting())
}
```

### Formatting with `gofumpt`

`gofumpt` is a stricter formatter than the standard `gofmt`. To reformat the file in place, run:

`dev@ubuntu:~/heygo$ ``gofumpt -w heygo.go`

The indentation of the `return` and `fmt.Println` statements is corrected.

### Linting with `golangci-lint`

To lint the project, run:

`dev@ubuntu:~/heygo$ ``golangci-lint run`

### Checking for vulnerabilities with `govulncheck`

To scan the project for known vulnerabilities, run:

`dev@ubuntu:~/heygo$ ``govulncheck ./...`

### Generating tests with `gotests`

To generate a test stub for the `greeting` function, run:

`dev@ubuntu:~/heygo$ ``gotests -all -w heygo.go`

This creates a `heygo_test.go` file with a generated test.

For a full guide to building, running, and debugging Go programs, including the Delve debugger, see [Develop with Go on Ubuntu](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/tutorials/go-use.md#use-go).

## What next

- [How to set up a development environment for Go on Ubuntu](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/howto/go-setup.md#install-golang)
- [Develop with Go on Ubuntu](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/tutorials/go-use.md#use-go)
- [Devpacks](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-for-developers/explanation/devpacks.md#devpacks)

## Additional resources

- [devpack-for-go source repository](https://github.com/canonical/devpack-for-go)