How to Download and Install Go Programming Language on Linux
If you are looking for a fast, reliable, and easy-to-learn programming language for your next project, you might want to consider Go. Go is an open source language that was designed by Google to handle modern challenges such as concurrency, scalability, and performance. In this article, you will learn what Go is, what Linux is, and how to download and install Go on Linux. You will also learn how to write and run a simple Go program on Linux.
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What is Go and why use it?
Go is a statically typed, compiled programming language that was created by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson at Google in 2007. It was inspired by languages such as C, Python, and Java, but also introduced some new features and concepts. Some of the main characteristics and advantages of Go are:
Go is open source. This means that anyone can access, modify, and contribute to its source code. It also means that there is a large community of developers and users who support and improve the language.
Go is high-performance. This means that Go programs run fast and efficiently, thanks to its powerful compiler, garbage collector, and runtime system. Go also supports cross-compilation, which means that you can create executable binaries for different platforms from a single source code.
Go is easy-to-learn. This means that Go has a simple and consistent syntax, with minimal keywords and punctuation. It also has a clear and comprehensive documentation that covers everything from the basics to the advanced topics. Go also has a built-in testing and debugging tool that makes it easy to find and fix errors.
Go has built-in concurrency. This means that Go can handle multiple tasks at the same time, using goroutines and channels. Goroutines are lightweight threads that can run in parallel, while channels are communication pipes that can pass data between goroutines. Concurrency makes Go ideal for developing applications that require high scalability and responsiveness.
Go has a robust standard library. This means that Go provides a wide range of packages that cover common functionalities such as input/output, networking, cryptography, compression, database access, web development, and more. You can also use third-party packages from the online repository called , which contains thousands of open source libraries written in Go.
Go has a large ecosystem of tools and libraries. This means that Go has many resources that can help you develop, test, deploy, and manage your applications. Some of the most popular tools include , a platform for building and running containerized applications [assistant](#search_web("Go Modules")) "web_search_results": ["title": "Go Modules Reference - go.dev", "snippet": "Go Modules Reference. This document is the canonical reference for the Go module system, and is updated as the module system evolves. For a higher-level overview, see the Go modules wiki page. For a tutorial, see the Go modules tutorial. For a guide to migrating to modules from GOPATH, see the Migrating to Go Modules blog post.", "url": "[1]( [assistant](#search_web("GoLand")) "web_search_results": ["title": "GoLand: Capable and Ergonomic Go IDE by JetBrains", "snippet": "GoLand is an IDE by JetBrains aimed at providing an ergonomic environment for Go development. The new IDE extends the IntelliJ platform with coding assistance and tool integrations specific for the Go language.", "url": "[2]( [assistant](#search_web("Docker")) "web_search_results": [ Docker", "snippet": "Docker helps developers bring their ideas to life by conquering the complexity of app development. Get Started Today for FREE", "url": "[3]( [assistant](#message) What is Linux and why use it?
Linux is an operating system that was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991. It is based on the Unix operating system, but unlike Unix, it is open source and free to use. Linux is widely used for servers, supercomputers, embedded devices, and personal computers. Some of the main characteristics and advantages of Linux are:
Linux is open source. This means that anyone can access, modify, and distribute its source code. It also means that there are many different versions or distributions of Linux, such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and more. Each distribution has its own features, packages, and user interface.
Linux is secure. This means that Linux has a strong security model that prevents unauthorized access and malware attacks. Linux also has regular updates and patches that fix any vulnerabilities or bugs. Linux also supports encryption, firewall, and antivirus tools that enhance its security.
Linux is scalable. This means that Linux can run on different types of hardware, from low-end devices to high-end machines. Linux also supports multi-core and multi-processor systems, which means that it can handle heavy workloads and complex tasks.
Linux supports many programming languages. This means that Linux provides a rich environment for developers who want to use different languages for their projects. Linux supports languages such as C, C++, Python, Ruby, Java, Perl, and more. Linux also supports Go, which makes it a great choice for developing Go applications.
How to download Go on Linux
Now that you know what Go and Linux are, let's see how to download and install Go on Linux. The steps are as follows:
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Choose a binary distribution suitable for your system from the official Go website. You can find the latest version of Go for different operating systems and architectures on . For example, if you are using a 64-bit Linux system, you can download the file named go1.17.3.linux-amd64.tar.gz.
Extract the archive into /usr/local directory using the command line. You can use the tar command to extract the compressed file into the /usr/local directory, which is where Go will be installed. To do this, open a terminal window and type the following command (replace the file name with the one you downloaded):
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.17.3.linux-amd64.tar.gz
This will create a folder named go in the /usr/local directory, which contains all the files and directories of Go.
Add /usr/local/go/bin to the PATH environment variable. You need to add this directory to your PATH variable so that you can access the Go commands from anywhere in your system. To do this, you can edit your /.profile file (or /.bash_profile if you are using Bash) and add the following line at the end:
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
This will append the Go bin directory to your existing PATH variable. You can also add this line to your /.bashrc file if you want to apply How to write and run a simple Go program on Linux
Now that you have Go installed and configured on your Linux system, you can start writing and running your own Go programs. Here are the steps to create and execute a simple "Hello, world" program in Go:
Create a file named hello.go with a simple "Hello, world" code using a text editor or an IDE. You can use any text editor or IDE that supports Go, such as GoLand, Visual Studio Code, Atom, or Vim. You can also use the nano command to create and edit the file in the terminal. The code for the hello.go file is as follows:
package main import "fmt" func main() fmt.Println("Hello, world")
This code defines a main package, imports the fmt package for printing output, and defines a main function that prints "Hello, world" to the standard output.
Use the go run command to compile and execute the program. You can use the go run command to compile and run your Go program without creating an executable binary file. To do this, open a terminal window and navigate to the directory where your hello.go file is located. Then type the following command:
go run hello.go
This will compile your code and run it, displaying the output "Hello, world" on the terminal.
Use the go build command to create an executable binary file. You can also use the go build command to create an executable binary file from your Go source code. This file can be run independently without the go command. To do this, open a terminal window and navigate to the directory where your hello.go file is located. Then type the following command:
go build hello.go
This will create a file named hello (or hello.exe on Windows) in the same directory, which is the executable binary of your program. You can run this file by typing:
./hello
This will display the same output as before, "Hello, world".
Conclusion
In this article, you learned how to download and install Go programming language on Linux. You also learned what Go and Linux are, and why they are useful for developing applications. You also learned how to write and run a simple Go program on Linux.
If you want to learn more about Go and Linux, you can check out some of the following resources:
, which contains documentation, tutorials, blog posts, and more about Go.
, which contains information, news, downloads, and more about Linux.
, which is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to Go by Alan A. A. Donovan and Brian W. Kernighan.
, which is a practical introduction to Linux by William E. Shotts Jr.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy coding!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions and answers about downloading and installing Go on Linux:
Q: How do I update Go on Linux?
A: To update Go on Linux, you need to download the latest version of Go from and follow the same steps as before to extract it into /usr/local directory and update your PATH variable. Alternatively, you can use a package manager such as apt or yum to install or update Go on your system.
Q: How do I uninstall Go on Linux?
A: To uninstall Go on Linux, you need to remove the /usr/local/go directory and its contents from your system. You also need to remove /usr/local/go/bin from your PATH variable by editing your /.profile file (or /.bash_profile or /.bashrc) and deleting the line that contains it.
Q: How do I install multiple versions of Go on Linux?
A: To install multiple versions of Go on Linux, you need to use a tool such as for more details and tips. 44f88ac181