How to install Go on Ubuntu 20.04?

Overview

Go, also known as Golang, is an open-source language designed for efficient and reliable system programming, making it a popular choice for developing high performance software applications. Go's integrated concurrency support, which enables programmers to create effective and scalable concurrent programmes without the use of other libraries or frameworks, is one of its core characteristics. Overall, it is a versatile and powerful language that is well suited for building a variety of applications, including network services, web applications, and more.

Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to install Go on Ubuntu 20.04 using source code.

Prerequisites

There are certain prerequisites that need to be met before you begin.

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS configured on your system.

• Non-root sudo user privileges.

Get Started

Step 1: Installation

• Check to see if you are in the home directory:

cd ~

The most recent version of Go is go1.20.1. Visit Go's official documentation of featured versions., copy the URL of the file that ends in "linux-amd64.tar.gz" and ensure to replace the URL in the command.

• Execute curl to fetch the tarball:

curl -OL https://go.dev/dl/go1.20.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz

Note: Since this link was copied from the Go website and will reroute here in the home directory before the file download begins:

• The -O flag guarantees that this outputs to a file,

• The L flag prompts HTTPS redirects.

Note: Ensure to replace the URL in the command with the one you obtained from Go's official documentation of featured versions.

• Use the sha256sum command with the filename as a parameter to check the file's integrity after it is downloaded:

sha256sum go1.20.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz

The output will display the SHA256 checksum of the tarball.

Note: You can verify the checksum by matching it with the one provided on the downloads page. If they match, then this step is accomplished.

• Retrieve the tarball:

sudo tar -C /usr/local -xvf go1.20.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz

The parameters of the above command are:

• The -C instructs tar to change to the specified directory before performing additional tasks.

• Go should be installed in the /usr/local/ directory.

• The x flag tells tar to extract.

• The v flag instructs tar to produce verbose output containing a list of extracted files.

• The f flag tells tar to output a filename.

Step 2: Path Setup

Set Go's root value first so it knows where to seek for its files. This can be accomplished by altering the commands listed in the .profile file, which is executed by the system upon each log-in.

• Open the .profile file located in your user's home directory:

sudo nano ~/.profile

• At the end of the .profile file, add the Go binary path:

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin

Press CTRL + X to save and close the file.

• Once the file is closed, update your profile:

source ~/.profile

• Print the version of go to verify if you can run the Go commands:

go version

The output will display the version of Go that you just installed on your system using the tarball:

Step 3: Testing

Now, that the installation of Go and its path setup have been successful, you can begin testing the functioning of Go.

• Make a new directory for Go to build its files:

mkdir file

Note: Here, we have created a directory with the name "file". You can name your directory according to your project.

• Enter into the directory:

cd file

• Open the nano text editor:

nano file.go

• Write the following 'Hello, World!' program in the editor:

package main
 
import "fmt"
 
func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, World!")
}

• Compile and run your code with the go run command:

go run file.go

The output will display as:

Conclusion

You now have a system to utilize for Go programming after downloading, installing, and establishing its paths.