golang-compiler

If you have the <a href="https://golang.org/">Go programming language</a> installed on your computer, you can run Go programs. You can verify this by opening a terminal and typing

go version

If it outputs an error like "command not found", you should <a href="https://golangr.com/install/">install</a> it.

Then you can save your program as filename.go (the .go extension) and run it with:

go run filename.go

That then runs the program and outputs it in the terminal. What if you want to have a program?

Then you have to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiler">compile</a> it. Compiling converts your source code into an actual program.

Compile in Go

You can do so in a few steps. Open up a terminal (On Linux: Ctrl+Alt+t). First create new directory for your project:

➜  ~ mkdir hello
➜  ~ cd hello

Now create your <a href="https://golangr.com/hello-world/">hello world</a> program with your favorite editor.

➜  hello vim hello.go

Do note I'm using a <a href="https://ohmyz.sh/">Zsh</a> theme so it puts the directory name in front. The hello world program:

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, world.")
}

Save it and exit the editor. Now you can run the build command:

➜  hello go build hello.go

And you have an application that you can run

➜  hello ./hello
Hello, world.

That's it! Simple