How Can I Build a Go Library and Binary with the Same Name?

Library and Binary with Same Name

A common challenge arises when designing a library that can also function as a standalone binary. While it seems logical to name the library and binary identically, the Golang build system often assigns different names.

One solution involves separating the directory structure into a tar directory for the library and a tarbin directory for the binary. However, this approach creates a binary called tarbin instead of tar.

A more elegant solution is to nest the binary within the library directory:

src/
    tar/
        tar.go         # tar library
        tar/
            main.go    # tar binary

This structure produces a binary named tar and a library named tar.

In a GitHub context, the directory structure becomes:

src/
    github.com/
        you/
            tar/
                tar.go         # tar library
                tar/
                    main.go    # tar binary

This structure allows for easy installation of both the binary (go get install github.com/you/tar/tar) and the library (go get install github.com/you/tar).

Depending on the desired prominence, the library and binary can be swapped within the directory structure. Additionally, keeping all code in a single tree enables convenient building and testing:

go install ./...
go test|fmt ./...

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