How To Install Golang 1.21 CentOS/RHEL 9/8

Golang, also known as Go, has emerged as a popular programming language for modern software development due to its simplicity and efficiency. This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on installing Golang on CentOS/RHEL versions 9 and 8, two widely used Linux distributions renowned for their stability and robustness in enterprise environments.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the installation, ensure you have:

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• A CentOS/RHEL 9 or 8 system.
• Root or sudo access to the system.
• Basic knowledge of Linux terminal commands.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your system packages to the latest versions. This ensures compatibility and security. Open a terminal and run:

sudo dnf update 

Step 2: Downloading Golang

Go to the official Golang download page (https://go.dev/dl/) and find the latest version compatible with CentOS/RHEL. You can download it using the wget command. For instance:

wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.21.6.linux-amd64.tar.gz 

Replace the link with the latest version available.

Step 3: Extracting the Golang Package

Once the download is complete, extract the Golang tarball to /usr/local:

sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.21.6.linux-amd64.tar.gz 

Again, ensure the version number in the command matches the downloaded fil

Step 4: Setting Go Environment Variables

For Go to function properly, you need to set the environment variables.. Commonly you need to set 3 environment variables as GOROOT, GOPATH and PATH. Add these lines to your ~/.bash_profile or ~/.bashrc file:

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
export GOPATH=$HOME/go
export PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin

After adding these lines, source your profile to apply the changes:

source ~/.bash_profile 

or

source ~/.bashrc 

Step 5: Verifying the Installation

To verify if Go has been installed correctly, check its version:

go version 

This should display the installed version of Go. For example: go version go1.21.6 linux/amd64

Step 6: Creating Your First Go Project

1. To start using Go, create a new directory for your example Go project:

   mkdir -p $HOME/go/src/hello 
   

2. Switch to newly created directory

   cd $HOME/go/src/hello 
   

3. Create a simple “Hello World” program to ensure everything is working. Create a file named hello.go with the following content:

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

4. Run the program using:

   go run hello.go 
   

   This should print “Hello, world!” on screen.

Conclusion

With these steps, you should have a working Go environment on your CentOS/RHEL system. Go is a powerful language for everything from web development to systems programming. Happy coding in Go!

If you encounter any issues during installation, consult the official Go FAQ or CentOS/RHEL support forums for assistance. Common issues usually involve environment variable settings or permissions.