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SKILL.md
npx skills add cxuu/golang-skills --skill go-linting
Use when setting up linting for a Go project, configuring golangci-lint, or adding Go checks to a CI/CD pipeline. Also use when starting a new Go project and deciding which linters to enable, even if the user only asks about "code quality" or "static analysis" without mentioning specific linter names. Does not cover code review process (see go-code-review).
npx skills add cxuu/golang-skills --skill go-linting
More important than any "blessed" set of linters: lint consistently across a codebase.
Consistent linting helps catch common issues and establishes a high bar for code quality without being unnecessarily prescriptive.
scripts/setup-lint.sh - Run when generating a .golangci.yml, validating the first lint pass, or producing JSON metadata.assets/golangci.yml - Use as the v2 golangci-lint baseline for established projects..golangci.yml with scripts/setup-lint.sh or copy assets/golangci.ymlgolangci-lint run ./...After generating .golangci.yml, run golangci-lint config verify --config .golangci.yml
to verify the configuration schema before relying on lint results.
These linters catch the most common issues while maintaining a high quality bar:
| Linter | Purpose |
|---|---|
| errcheck | Ensure errors are handled |
| goimports | Format code and manage imports |
| revive | Common style mistakes (modern replacement for golint) |
| govet | Analyze code for common mistakes |
| staticcheck | Various static analysis checks |
Note:
reviveis the modern, faster successor to the now-deprecatedgolint.
Use golangci-lint as your lint runner. See the example .golangci.yml from uber-go/guide.
Use assets/golangci.yml as the maintained example. It targets
golangci-lint v2 (verified with 2.10.1 on 2026-06-19), keeps goimports
under formatters, and enables the core linters plus common production
additions.
Beyond the minimum set, consider these for production projects:
| Linter | Purpose | When to enable |
|---|---|---|
| gosec | Security vulnerability detection | Always for services handling user input |
| ineffassign | Detect ineffectual assignments | Always — catches dead code |
| misspell | Correct common misspellings in comments/strings | Always |
| gocyclo | Cyclomatic complexity threshold | When functions exceed ~15 complexity |
| exhaustive | Ensure switch covers all enum values | When using iota enums |
| bodyclose | Detect unclosed HTTP response bodies | Always for HTTP client code |
When suppressing a lint finding, always explain why:
Rules:
//nolint:lintername — never bare //nolint//Run golangci-lint run ./... in CI after tests. Pin the golangci-lint version
used by CI so local and release behavior do not drift.
Use --new-from-rev to lint only changed code, keeping the feedback loop fast.
| Task | Command/Action |
|---|---|
| Install golangci-lint | go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@v2.10.1 |
| Run linters | golangci-lint run |
| Run on path | golangci-lint run ./pkg/... |
| Config file | .golangci.yml in project root |
| CI integration | Run golangci-lint run in pipeline |
| Nolint directives | //nolint:name // reason — never bare //nolint |
| CI integration | Use golangci/golangci-lint-action for GitHub Actions |
| Pre-commit | golangci-lint run --new-from-rev=HEAD~1 |
| When you need... | Use |
|---|---|
| Error handling coverage | errcheck |
| Import formatting | goimports |
| Style consistency | revive |
| Bug detection | govet, staticcheck |
| All of the above | golangci-lint with config |
//nolint:errcheck // fire-and-forget logging; error is not actionable
_ = logger.Sync()#!/bin/sh
# .git/hooks/pre-commit
golangci-lint run --new-from-rev=HEAD~1