If you're excited to start coding in Go (Golang), you’re in the right place! In this easy-to-follow guide, I’ll help you install Go on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Before we jump into the installation process, **head over to the official Go website** and grab the version compatible with your operating system:
Once you’ve got the Go installer downloaded, follow the steps below to get everything set up!
Installing Go on Linux
-
Remove any previous Go installations
If you’ve already installed Go before, it’s best to start fresh by deleting the old version. Run the command below to remove the previous installation:$ sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
Now, extract the archive you just downloaded into
/usr/local
:$ sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.23.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz
Pro Tip: Make sure you’re using
sudo
for these commands to have the necessary permissions. -
Avoid broken installations
Don’t extract the new Go archive into an existing/usr/local/go
folder. This can cause issues, so starting fresh is always best. -
Update your PATH
To use Go commands easily, add Go’sbin
directory to yourPATH
. Open your$HOME/.profile
(or/etc/profile
for system-wide installs) and add this line:export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
Quick Tip: You can immediately apply the changes by running:
source $HOME/.profile
-
Verify the installation
To check if Go is installed correctly, type:$ go version
You should see something like
go version go1.23.1 linux/amd64
. Success!
Installing Go on macOS
-
Install Go
After downloading the Go installer from the link above, open the package file and follow the prompts. Go will automatically install to/usr/local/go
. -
Check your PATH
During installation, Go usually adds/usr/local/go/bin
to yourPATH
automatically. If not, you can add it manually by editing your~/.zshrc
or~/.bash_profile
:export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
-
Restart terminal sessions
After installation, close and reopen your terminal for the changes to take effect. Alternatively, use:source ~/.zshrc
-
Verify your installation
Run the following command in the terminal to confirm Go is installed properly:$ go version
If you see the installed version, you’re good to go!
Installing Go on Windows
-
Install Go
After downloading the MSI installer for Windows, open it and follow the steps. By default, Go installs toC:\Program Files\Go
. -
Environment Setup
The installer will automatically add Go to yourPATH
. After the installation, close and reopen any open Command Prompt windows to apply the changes. -
Verify the installation
Open Command Prompt (search for “cmd” in the Start menu) and type:$ go version
You should see something like
go version go1.23.1 windows/amd64
. That’s it!
Wrapping Up
And there you have it! Whether you’re on Linux, macOS, or Windows, installing Go is straightforward. Now that Go is up and running, you can start building some amazing projects!
If you have any questions or run into any issues, feel free to drop a comment below! I’m here to help. Happy coding! 🎉
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