Go Linter Configuration Skill

Configure and troubleshoot golangci-lint for Go projects. This skill helps handle import resolution issues, type-checking problems, and optimize configurations for both local and CI environments.

Installation

Install golangci-lint:

go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@latest

Or use the official installation script:

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/golangci/golangci-lint/master/install.sh | sh -s -- -b $(go env GOPATH)/bin v1.59.1

Basic Usage

Run linter on entire project:

golangci-lint run ./...

Run with specific configuration:

golangci-lint run --config .golangci.yml ./...

Configuration File (.golangci.yml)

Minimal Configuration (for CI environments with import issues)

run:
  timeout: 5m
  tests: false
  build-tags: []

linters:
  disable-all: true
  enable:
    - gofmt          # Format checking only

linters-settings:
  gofmt:
    simplify: true

issues:
  exclude-use-default: false
  max-issues-per-linter: 50
  max-same-issues: 3

output:
  format: tab

Standard Configuration (for local development)

run:
  timeout: 5m
  tests: true
  build-tags: []

linters:
  enable:
    - gofmt
    - govet
    - errcheck
    - staticcheck
    - unused
    - gosimple
    - ineffassign

linters-settings:
  govet:
    enable:
      - shadow
  errcheck:
    check-type-assertions: true
  staticcheck:
    checks: ["all"]

issues:
  exclude-use-default: false
  max-issues-per-linter: 50
  max-same-issues: 3

output:
  format: tab

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"undefined: package" Errors

Problem: Linter reports undefined references to imported packages

Solution: Use minimal configuration with disable-all: true and only enable basic linters like gofmt

Import Resolution Problems

Problem: CI environment cannot resolve dependencies properly

Solution:

1. Ensure go.mod and go.sum are up to date
2. Use go mod download before running linter in CI
3. Consider using simpler linters in CI environment

Type-Checking Failures

Problem: Linter fails during type checking phase

Solution:

1. Temporarily disable complex linters that require type checking
2. Use --fast flag for quicker, less intensive checks
3. Verify all imports are properly declared

CI/CD Optimization

For GitHub Actions workflow:

name: Code Quality

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main, master ]
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main, master ]

jobs:
  lint:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4

    - name: Set up Go
      uses: actions/setup-go@v4
      with:
        go-version: '1.21'
        cache: true

    - name: Download dependencies
      run: go mod download

    - name: Install golangci-lint
      run: |
        curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/golangci/golangci-lint/master/install.sh | sh -s -- -b $(go env GOPATH)/bin v1.59.1

    - name: Lint
      run: golangci-lint run --config .golangci.yml ./...

Linter Selection Guidelines

• gofmt: For formatting consistency
• govet: For semantic errors
• errcheck: For unchecked errors
• staticcheck: For static analysis
• unused: For dead code detection
• gosimple: For simplification suggestions
• ineffassign: For ineffective assignments

Choose linters based on project needs and CI performance requirements.