Go module
A Go module is a versioned collection of related Go packages defined by a go.mod file and managed as a unit for dependency resolution and builds.
Go in Action, Second Edition
A Go module is a versioned collection of Go packages described by a go.mod file and managed as a unit for dependency resolution and builds.
- How it is used
- Organizes packages into named projects and manages dependencies for both small programs and independently evolving application components.
- How deep it goes
- Works through initialization, go.mod entries, dependency commands, and multimodule organization without detailing the dependency-resolution algorithm.
- Examples
- Uses a word-count project and a four-module RSS reader with domain, storage, API, and worker components.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch: initialize a module, inspect go.mod, and plan separate modules for components that should evolve independently.
Go in Practice, Second Edition
A Go module is a versioned collection of Go packages described by a go.mod file and its dependency requirements.
- How it is used
- Manages package dependencies as part of the Go toolchain.
- How deep it goes
- Explains the productivity and compile-time rationale, but does not detail go.mod syntax or version-selection internals.
- Examples
- Uses standard-library imports, an external URL import, and `go get ./...`.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure dependencies with Go's integrated module tooling.
Read how Go in Practice, Second Edition explains go module →
Learn Go with Pocket-Sized Projects
A Go module is a versioned collection of Go packages defined by a go.mod file.
- How it is used
- Starts standalone Go applications, libraries, command-line tools, and HTTP services by establishing their project boundary.
- How deep it goes
- Explains initialization, go.mod creation, naming, and common layouts, but does not detail dependency versioning or module commands beyond setup.
- Examples
- Uses hello-world, bookworms, genericcache, an HTTP service, a maze solver, and a money-conversion CLI.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch by initializing a module, creating go.mod, choosing a module path, and organizing application or library files.
Read how Learn Go with Pocket-Sized Projects explains go module →
gRPC Microservices in Go
A Go module is a versioned unit of Go source code and dependency metadata managed as a cohesive module.
- How it is used
- Organizes each microservice and its generated gRPC code for dependency management across service boundaries.
- How deep it goes
- Explains initialization, module paths, version selection, repository tags, and separate test modules, without detailing Go dependency resolution internals.
- Examples
- Uses order, payment, and shipping modules, versioned generated clients, go.mod initialization, and a separate e2e module.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via go mod init and go get to create services, consume generated clients, pin versions, and isolate end-to-end tests.
Related concepts
- go.mod fileconfigured by · A go.mod file is a Go module manifest that declares the module path, Go language version, and required dependencies.
- packagehas part · A package is a programming-language namespace and organizational unit that groups related code and may define import, compilation, or access boundaries.
- go mod initconfigured by · go mod init is a Go command that initializes a module by creating its go.mod file with a specified module path.
- go workspaceused by · A Go workspace is a development configuration that coordinates multiple Go modules for joint development and testing while preserving their independent module definitions.
- go getconfigured by · go get is a Go command that adds or updates module dependencies and their required versions in a module’s dependency metadata.
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