How to Download and Install Go on Linux
Linux is a free and open-source operating system that offers many advantages over Windows or Mac OS. It is fast, secure, customizable, and compatible with a wide range of devices and applications. If you want to try Linux, you will need to choose a Linux distribution, which is a version of Linux that comes with a set of software and settings. There are hundreds of Linux distributions available, each with its own features and benefits.
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Go is a modern programming language that was designed at Google. It is simple, concise, efficient, and easy to learn. It has built-in support for concurrency, garbage collection, and testing. It also has a rich standard library and a large ecosystem of tools and libraries. Go is ideal for developing web applications, microservices, command-line tools, and more.
In this article, you will learn how to download and install Go on Linux. You will also learn how to write and run your first Go program on Linux. Let's get started!
Step 1: Choose a Linux distribution and download it
The first step is to choose a Linux distribution that suits your needs and preferences. There are many factors to consider when choosing a Linux distribution, such as:
The level of difficulty and user-friendliness
The desktop environment and graphical interface
The software availability and compatibility
The system requirements and performance
The community support and documentation
Some of the most popular Linux distributions are:
DistributionDescription
UbuntuOne of the most widely used and beginner-friendly distributions. It has a sleek and intuitive desktop environment, a large software repository, and a strong community support.
Linux MintA derivative of Ubuntu that offers a more traditional and familiar desktop experience. It has a stable and reliable system, a user-friendly interface, and a variety of pre-installed software.
ManjaroA fast and versatile distribution that is based on Arch Linux. It has a rolling-release model, which means it always has the latest software updates. It also has a user-friendly installer, a customizable desktop environment, and access to the Arch User Repository.
FedoraA cutting-edge and innovative distribution that is sponsored by Red Hat. It has a sleek and modern desktop environment, a robust and secure system, and a focus on open-source software.
DebianA stable and reliable distribution that is one of the oldest and most influential in the Linux world. It has a minimal and lightweight system, a large and diverse software repository, and a loyal and active community.
You can visit the websites of these distributions and download the ISO file for the latest version. An ISO file is an image of the operating system that can be used to create a bootable USB stick or DVD.
Step 2: Create a bootable USB stick or DVD from the ISO file
The next step is to create a bootable USB stick or DVD from the ISO file. A bootable USB stick or DVD is a device that can be used to start the installation process of Linux on your computer. A USB stick is preferred over a DVD because it is faster, more convenient, and reusable.
To create a bootable USB stick from the ISO file, you will need a software tool that can write the ISO file to the USB stick. One of the most popular and easy-to-use tools is Rufus, which is available for Windows. You can download Rufus from its official website and follow these steps:
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Insert a blank USB stick of at least 4 GB into your computer.
Open Rufus and select the USB stick from the Device dropdown menu.
Click on the Select button and browse to the location of the ISO file.
Make sure that the Partition scheme is set to MBR and the Target system is set to BIOS or UEFI.
Click on the Start button and wait for Rufus to write the ISO file to the USB stick.
When Rufus is done, you can safely eject the USB stick from your computer.
To create a bootable DVD from the ISO file, you will need a software tool that can burn the ISO file to the DVD. One of the most popular and easy-to-use tools is ImgBurn, which is available for Windows. You can download ImgBurn from its official website and follow these steps:
Insert a blank DVD into your computer.
Open ImgBurn and select Write image file to disc.
Click on the Browse button and select the ISO file.
Click on the Write button and wait for ImgBurn to burn the ISO file to the DVD.
When ImgBurn is done, you can safely eject the DVD from your computer.
Step 3: Boot from the USB stick or DVD and install Linux
The third step is to boot from the USB stick or DVD and install Linux on your computer. To do this, you will need to change the boot order in your computer's BIOS or UEFI settings. The BIOS or UEFI is a firmware that controls how your computer starts up. The boot order determines which device your computer will try to boot from first.
To change the boot order in your BIOS or UEFI settings, you will need to restart your computer and press a specific key (usually F2, F10, F12, or Del) to enter the BIOS or UEFI menu. The exact key and menu may vary depending on your computer model and manufacturer. You can look for instructions on your computer screen or consult your computer manual for more details.
Once you are in the BIOS or UEFI menu, you will need to find the Boot option and move the USB stick or DVD to the top of the list. You can use the arrow keys and Enter key to navigate and select options. You will also need to save and exit the menu for the changes to take effect.
After changing the boot order, your computer will restart and try to boot from the USB stick or DVD. You will see a screen with some options to start or install Linux. You can choose either option, but it is recommended to start Linux first without installing it. This will allow you to test Linux on your computer without affecting your existing operating system or data. This is called a live session.
In a live session, you can explore Linux and see how it works on your computer. You can also access your hard drive and back up any important data before installing Linux. To install Linux, you can look for an icon on the desktop or in the menu that says Install Linux or something similar. Clicking on this icon will launch an installation wizard that will guide you through the installation process.
Step 4: Download and install Go on Linux
The fourth step is to download and install Go on Linux. There are two main ways to do this: using the official website or using the package manager of your Linux distribution. The official website provides the latest version of Go, while the package manager provides a version that is tested and compatible with your Linux distribution. You can choose either way, but it is recommended to use the official website for the most up-to-date features and bug fixes.
To download and install Go from the official website, you will need to follow these steps:
Visit the and choose the archive file for your Linux architecture (either 32-bit or 64-bit).
Download the archive file to your home directory or any other location of your choice.
Open a terminal and navigate to the location of the archive file.
Extract the archive file with the command tar -C /usr/local -xzf go$VERSION.$OS-$ARCH.tar.gz, where $VERSION is the version number of Go, $OS is linux, and $ARCH is either 386 or amd64 depending on your architecture.
Add /usr/local/go/bin to the PATH environment variable by editing your profile file (such as .bashrc or .profile) and adding the line export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin.
Reload your profile file with the command source /.profile or restart your terminal.
Verify that Go is installed correctly by running the command go version. You should see something like go version go1.17.3 linux/amd64.
To download and install Go from the package manager of your Linux distribution, you will need to follow these steps:
Open a terminal and update your package list with the command sudo apt update (for Debian-based distributions) or sudo dnf update (for Fedora-based distributions).
Install Go with the command sudo apt install golang (for Debian-based distributions) or sudo dnf install golang (for Fedora-based distributions).
Verify that Go is installed correctly by running the command go version. You should see something like go version go1.16.8 linux/amd64.
Step 5: Write and run your first Go program on Linux
The final step is to write and run your first Go program on Linux. You can use any text editor or integrated development environment (IDE) of your choice to write Go code. Some of the most popular ones are Visual Studio Code, Atom, Sublime Text, Vim, Emacs, and GoLand. You can also use an online playground such as The Go Playground to write and run Go code in your browser.
To write and run your first Go program on Linux, you will need to follow these steps:
Create a new directory for your Go project and navigate to it in your terminal.
Create a new file named hello.go with your text editor or IDE.
Type the following code in the file:
// hello.go package main import "fmt" func main() fmt.Println("Hello, world")
This code defines a main package with a main function that prints "Hello, world" to the standard output.
Save the file and run it with the command go run hello.go. You should see "Hello, world" printed in your terminal.
You can also compile the file with the command go build hello.go. This will create a binary file named hello that you can execute with the command ./hello.
Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and installed Go on Linux and written and run your first Go program on Linux. You have learned how to:
Choose a Linux distribution and download it
Create a bootable USB stick or DVD from the ISO file
Boot from the USB stick or DVD and install Linux
Download and install Go from the official website or the package manager
Write and run your first Go program on Linux
You are now ready to explore more of the features and benefits of Go and Linux. You can find more information and resources on the following websites:
: The official website of Go, where you can find documentation, tutorials, blog posts, and more.
: The official website of Linux, where you can find news, articles, guides, and more.
: A free online book that teaches you how to write test-driven Go code.
: A free online course that teaches you the basics of Linux.
: A curated list of awesome Go frameworks, libraries, and software.
FAQs
What are the advantages of using Go on Linux?
Some of the advantages of using Go on Linux are:
Go is a cross-platform language, which means it can run on any operating system that supports it, including Linux.
Go is a compiled language, which means it produces fast and efficient executable files that can run on any Linux machine without any dependencies.
Go is a simple and concise language, which means it is easy to write, read, and maintain code that follows the Linux philosophy of doing one thing well.
Go is a concurrent language, which means it can handle multiple tasks at the same time using goroutines and channels, which are well suited for the Linux environment.
Go has a rich standard library and a large ecosystem of tools and libraries, which means it can provide solutions for various problems and needs that arise in the Linux context.
How do I update Go on Linux?
To update Go on Linux, you will need to follow these steps:
Visit the and download the latest version of Go for your Linux architecture.
Remove the previous version of Go from your /usr/local directory with the command sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go.
Extract the new version of Go to your /usr/local directory with the command sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go$VERSION.$OS-$ARCH.tar.gz, where $VERSION, $OS, and $ARCH are replaced with the appropriate values.
Verify that Go is updated correctly by running the command go version. You should see the new version number in the output.
How do I uninstall Go on Linux?
To uninstall Go on Linux, you will need to follow these steps:
Remove the Go directory from your /usr/local directory with the command sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go.
Remove the /usr/local/go/bin directory from your PATH environment variable by editing your profile file (such as .bashrc or .profile) and deleting the line export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin.
Reload your profile file with the command source /.profile or restart your terminal.
Delete any Go projects or files that you have created or downloaded.
How do I install other software on Linux?
To install other software on Linux, you will need to use the package manager of your Linux distribution. A package manager is a software tool that manages the installation, removal, and update of software packages on your system. Some of the most common package managers are:
apt: The package manager for Debian-based distributions, such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint. You can use the command sudo apt install followed by the name of the package to install it.
dnf: The package manager for Fedora-based distributions, such as Fedora and Manjaro. You can use the command sudo dnf install followed by the name of the package to install it.
yum: The package manager for Red Hat-based distributions, such as CentOS and RHEL. You can use the command sudo yum install followed by the name of the package to install it.
pacman: The package manager for Arch-based distributions, such as Arch Linux and Manjaro. You can use the command sudo pacman -S followed by the name of the package to install it.
zypper: The package manager for SUSE-based distributions, such as openSUSE and SLES. You can use the command sudo zypper install followed by the name of the package to install it.
You can also use graphical interfaces or software centers to browse and install software packages on your Linux system. For example, Ubuntu has the Ubuntu Software Center, Fedora has the GNOME Software, and Manjaro has the Pamac Manager.
How do I learn more about Go and Linux?
To learn more about Go and Linux, you can use various online resources, such as:
: An interactive introduction to Go that lets you write and run Go code in your browser.
: A free online book that teaches you how to use the Linux command line effectively.
: A document that gives tips and best practices for writing clear and idiomatic Go code.
: A platform that offers courses and labs on various Linux topics and certifications.
: A website that shows how to use various features of Go with annotated examples.
: A forum where you can ask and answer questions about Linux.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 44f88ac181
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