How Can I Install Go Tools Using `go get` Without or With Dependency Management?

Usage of Go Modules for Installing Go Tools

When attempting to install a Go tool using the command go get -u github.com/go-critic/go-critic/..., you may encounter an error stating, "go: cannot find a main module; see 'go help modules.'" This issue stems from the use of Go modules as the dependency management system.

Case 1: Installing a Tool Without Dependency Tracking

If you wish to install a tool without having it tracked as a dependency in your current go.mod, these solutions are available:

• Create a New Directory Without a go.mod File: Navigate to a directory that does not contain a go.mod file and use the following command to install the tool:

$ cd /tmp
$ go get github.com/some/tool

• Use gobin: Gobin is a module-aware command that allows you to install or run binaries without altering the go.mod of your current module.

Case 2: Installing a Tool as a Versioned Dependency

If you want to explicitly track the tool as a versioned dependency in your go.mod, follow these steps:

• Create a tools.go File: In a separate package, create a tools.go file and set a //go:build tools build tag. This will prevent the tool's actual import during regular builds.

//go:build tools
// +build tools

package tools

import (
    _ "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/stringer"
)

This approach allows the go command to record the version information of your tools accurately while ensuring that they are not imported during your normal builds.

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