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OpenIDEA uses gopls for Go code intelligence, runs and tests modules with the go command, and debugs with Delve. go.mod and go.work files are highlighted and served by gopls too. For other languages, see the support matrix.

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Language server

gopls serves .go, go.mod and go.work files. A workspace starts at the nearest go.work, else the nearest go.mod. Semantic highlighting from gopls is turned on. If gopls is missing, OpenIDEA shows a gopls is not installed notification with an Install button. You can also install it in Settings › Languages & Frameworks › Language Servers, or select your own gopls there. The IDE installs it with go install golang.org/x/tools/gopls@latest into its own tools folder, so Go must be on PATH. A gopls already on PATH is used as is.

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Setup

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Go SDK

Settings › Languages & Frameworks › Go has two settings:
  • GOROOT: the Go SDK used by gopls and the go run and test configurations. Default uses go on PATH; if the project pins a Go version for mise or asdf, that install is used instead.
  • Project GOPATH: empty uses go env GOPATH.
The GOROOT list shows the SDKs the IDE finds: the go on PATH, /usr/local/go, Homebrew and /usr/lib/go installs, SDKs in ~/sdk (installed with golang.org/dl), toolchains Go downloaded itself (~/go/pkg/mod/golang.org/toolchain@…), and mise and asdf installs.

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Build tags

Settings › Languages & Frameworks › Build Tags sets the build constraints for the project: Operating System, Architecture, Go Version, Compiler (gc or gccgo), CGO, Custom Tags and Experiments. They are sent to gopls (as build flags and environment) and apply to the go run and test configurations and to debugging. Go configurations can turn on Use all custom build tags.

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Go modules

Settings › Languages & Frameworks › Go Modules has Enable vendoring support automatically and fields for GOPROXY, GOPRIVATE, GOFLAGS, GONOPROXY, GONOSUMDB, GOSUMDB, GOMODCACHE, GOTOOLCHAIN and GOWORK. Empty fields inherit the environment. The values are passed to gopls and to go commands. Right-click a go.mod (in the Project view, an editor tab or the editor) for Go Mod Tidy and Download Go Modules; right-click a go.work for Sync Go Workspace and Add Directory to Go Workspace…. A .go file offers Go Generate File and Go Generate Package. GOROOT and the module cache appear under External Libraries in the Project view.

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Run and test

OpenIDEA detects run configurations for each module (every go.mod in the project, or the modules listed in go.work): In the editor, gutter icons run or debug func main of a main package, Test…, Benchmark…, Example… and Fuzz… functions, and subtests declared with t.Run or b.Run. A //go:generate line gets its own icon. Test output (plain and -v) appears in the test tree, grouped by package; Rerun Failed Tests runs only the failures. The Go Build and Go Test configuration types in Run › Edit Configurations… let you set the Run kind (directory, file or package), the target, a test Pattern, Go tool arguments, Program arguments, and for builds an Output directory and Run after build. See Run configurations and Testing. Build Project runs go build ./... in each module (each module of a go.work); Rebuild Project adds -a. Compiler errors go to the Build tool window and the editor. Run with Coverage on go test uses Go’s own -coverprofile; see Coverage.

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Debugging

Go debugging uses Delve (dlv dap). If it is missing when you start a debug session, OpenIDEA offers to install it with go install github.com/go-delve/delve/cmd/dlv@latest into its tools folder. The detected go run and go test configurations and the gutter icons can all be debugged.
  • Attach to Process… (⌥⇧F5 / Ctrl+Alt+F5) lists local Go processes under Go (Delve).
  • The Go Remote configuration attaches to a Delve server (dlv --headless, Delve 1.7.3 or later) on this or another machine, with local and remote root mapping. The form shows the command to start the remote side.
On macOS, Delve may need Developer Mode before it can debug: run sudo DevToolsSecurity -enable once.
See Debugging for breakpoints and stepping.

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Limitations

  • gopls and Delve are installed with go install, which needs Go on PATH. Without Go, install them yourself and select them in Settings › Languages & Frameworks › Language Servers.
  • The profiler does not support Go programs.
  • Gutter icons come from a lightweight scan of the file, not from gopls; tests built in unusual ways may not get an icon, but still run with go test.