How to Install Go on Debian 12

Introduction

Go also known as Golang is an open-source programming language designed for simplicity, reliability, and efficiency. Go is a fast, statically typed compiled language suitable for developing scalable web servers, cloud-native applications, and command-line tools.

This guide explains how to install Go on Debian 12. You'll also manage multiple Go versions to meet different project requirements.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• Deploy a Debian 12 instance on Vultr.
• Access the instance using SSH.
• Create a non-root user with sudo privileges and switch to the user.

Install Go on Debian 12

Go is available in the default APT package repositories on Debian 12. Follow the steps below to install Go on your server.

1. Update the server's package information index.

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   $ sudo apt update

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2. Install Go.

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   $ sudo apt install golang -y

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3. View the installed Go version.

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   $ go version

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   Output:

   go version go1.19.8 linux/amd64

Test the Go Installation

Follow the steps below to create a sample application to verify that Go runs correctly on your server.

1. Create a new go-sample project directory.

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   $ mkdir go-sample

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2. Switch to the go-sample directory.

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   $ cd go-sample

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3. Initialize a new example.com/hello Go module in the directory,

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   $ go mod init example.com/hello

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4. Create a new main.go application file using a text editor like nano.

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   $ nano main.go

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5. Add the following contents to the main.go file.

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   package main
   
   import "fmt"
   
   func main() {
       fmt.Println("Greetings from Vultr")
   }

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   Save and close the file.

   The above Go application displays a Greeting from Vultr message when you run it.

6. Run the main.go application file.

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   $ go run main.go

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   Output:

   Greetings from Vultr

Install Multiple Go Versions

Maintaining multiple Go versions on your system allows you to meet different project requirements. You can use the Go version manager (GVM) or manually install specific Go versions in your project environment. Follow the steps below to install and manage multiple GO versions using both methods.

Install Multiple Go Versions From Source

Follow the steps below to install multiple Go versions from source.

1. Visit the Go releases webpage and download a specific Go version's archive file. For example, download the Go version 1.23.0.

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   $ wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.23.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz

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2. Run the following command to download another Go version such as 1.21.0.

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   $ wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.21.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz

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3. Create a new /usr/local/go1.23.0 directory to store the 1.23.0 Go version files.

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   $ sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/go1.23.0

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4. Create another /usr/local/go1.21.0 directory to store the 1.21.0 Go version files.

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   $ sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/go1.21.0

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5. Extract the 1.23.0 Go archive files to the /usr/local/go1.23.0 directory.

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   $ sudo tar -C /usr/local/go1.23.0 -xzf go1.23.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz

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6. Extract the 1.21.0 Go archive files to the /usr/local/go1.21.0 directory.

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   $ sudo tar -C /usr/local/go1.21.0 -xzf go1.21.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz

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7. Create a new PATH environment variable and set the 1.23.0 Go version to activate it as the default on the server.

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   $ export PATH=/usr/local/go1.23.0/go/bin:$PATH

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8. Verify the active Go version.

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   $ go version

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   Output:

   go version go1.23.0 linux/amd64

9. Create a new go123 alias for the 1.23.0 Go version to access it using a single command.

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   $ echo "alias go123='/usr/local/go1.23.0/go/bin/go'" >> ~/.bashrc

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10. Create another go121 alias for the 1.21.0 Go version to access it using a single command.

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    $ echo "alias go121='/usr/local/go1.21.0/go/bin/go'" >> ~/.bashrc

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11. Reload your shell configuration to apply the changes.

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    $ source ~/.bashrc

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12. Run the alias command associated with the installed Go version. For example, run the main.go application you created earlier using the 1.23.0 Go version.

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    $ go123 run main.go

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    Output:

    Greetings from Vultr

13. Run the main.go application file using the go121 alias command.

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    $ go121 run main.go

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    Output:

    Greetings from Vultr

Install Multiple Go Versions Using GVM

Go Version Manager (GVM) allows you to manage and switch between Go versions. You can use GVM to install and use specific Go versions without manually setting up a PATH variable or downloading any binary packages. Follow the steps below to install GVM and manage multiple Go versions.

1. Update the server's package information index.

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   $ sudo apt update

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2. Install all required GVM dependency packages.

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   $ sudo apt install -y curl git make binutils bison gcc

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3. Download and install GVM using the latest installation script.

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   $ bash < <(curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moovweb/gvm/master/binscripts/gvm-installer)

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4. Reload your shell configuration to apply the changes.

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   $ source ~/.gvm/scripts/gvm

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5. Use GVM to install a specific Go version. For example, Go version 1.20.8.

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   $ gvm install go1.20.8

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   Output:

   go1.20.8 successfully installed!

6. Set the 1.20.8 Go version as the default.

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   $ gvm use go1.20.8 --default

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   Output:

   Now using version go1.20.8

7. View the active Go version.

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   $ go version

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   Output:

   go version go1.20.8 linux/amd64

8. Install another Go version. For example, Go version 1.21.5.

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   $ gvm install go1.21.5

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9. List all installed Go versions.

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   $ gvm list

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   Output:

   gvm gos (installed)
   
       go1.20.8
       go1.21.5
       system

10. Run the following command to switch to a specific Go version such as go1.21.5 in your shell environment.

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    $ gvm use go1.21.5

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Conclusion

You have installed Go on Debian 12 and managed multiple versions. You can use Go with popular libraries, frameworks, and databases to create modern applications. For more information, visit the Go documentation.