Go Toolchain Issue: Improving GitHub Issue Template

Aug 15, 2025 by Ahmed Latif 52 views

.github: Issue Template for Toolchain Selection in Go

Hey guys! It looks like we've got a bit of a recurring issue in the Go community, and I wanted to chat about how we can make things smoother for everyone. We've seen a couple of duplicate reports popping up related to toolchain selection, specifically after the release of go1.25.0. Let's dive into what's happening and how we can improve our issue template to help folks out.

The Issue: Toolchain Selection Woes

So, what's the deal? Users are updating their go.mod files to reference go1.25.0 and are trying to set GOEXPERIMENT for some of the new experiments. The catch? They're running a version of the cmd/go command that falls between go1.24.0 and go1.24.4. This range includes the fips140 support but doesn't include the fix for a specific bug, #74111. This creates a bit of a snag for them.

Understanding the Root Cause

To really grasp the issue, it's crucial to understand the toolchain selection process in Go. When a user updates their go.mod file to target a newer Go version, the go command attempts to use the appropriate toolchain for that version. However, older versions of the go command might not be fully aware of newer Go versions or the experiments introduced in them.

The Specific Problem

The versions between go1.24.0 and go1.24.4 have a known issue that can cause problems when combined with the go1.25.0 update and the attempt to set GOEXPERIMENT. The core of the problem is that these older go commands lack the necessary fix for #74111. When users try to use new features or experiments in go1.25.0 with these older toolchains, they run into compatibility issues.

Why Duplicates?

The reason we're seeing duplicate reports is that the error messages and behavior that users experience aren't immediately clear about the root cause. Users see an issue, but they may not know that the problem lies in the interaction between their go.mod settings, the GOEXPERIMENT variable, and the specific version of the go command they are using.

The Impact

This issue can be quite frustrating for users. They may spend time troubleshooting their code or environment, assuming the problem is in their project setup. The lack of clear guidance in the error messages can lead to significant time wasted and frustration. This is why we need to make it easier for users to diagnose and resolve the problem.

The (Potential) Solution

The good news is that there's a relatively straightforward fix: users can update the version of the go command they're using to go1.24.5 or later. This version includes the fix for #74111 and plays nicely with go1.25.0. However, there's a catch – users need to be able to diagnose the problem first.

The Challenge of Diagnosis

Here's where things get tricky. The output of commands like go version and go env shows the Go version that's in place after toolchain selection has successfully happened. This means that if the toolchain selection itself is failing due to an outdated go command, these commands won't necessarily reveal the underlying issue. Users might be looking at the “correct” Go version after selection but not realize that the initial selection process failed.

The Issue Template Gap

Our current issue templates don't really address this scenario. They don't prompt users to check the version of the go command before toolchain selection. This is a crucial piece of information for diagnosing this particular problem. Without it, we're left playing detective, trying to piece together the user's environment from their descriptions.

How We Can Improve the Issue Template

So, how do we make this easier on everyone? I think a key step is to tweak our issue template to guide users in the right direction. Here are a few ideas we can implement to enhance the issue template and make it more effective.

1. Prompt for `GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version` Output

A simple but effective addition to the issue template would be to ask users for the output of the command GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version. This command bypasses the automatic toolchain selection and directly shows the version of the go command that's being initially invoked. This provides crucial information for diagnosing the issue.

Why This Works

By specifically asking for the output of GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version, we're forcing users to explicitly check the version of the go command they're using before any toolchain selection takes place. This is the exact information we need to determine if an outdated go command is the root cause of the problem. If the version reported by this command is between go1.24.0 and go1.24.4, we immediately know where to focus our troubleshooting efforts.

Practical Implementation

We can add a section to the issue template that looks something like this:

### Go Command Version (Before Toolchain Selection)

Please run the following command and paste the output here:

```bash
GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version

This clear instruction makes it easy for users to provide the necessary information, even if they're not familiar with the intricacies of Go toolchain management.

### 2. Add a Note About Toolchain Selection

Another helpful addition would be a brief explanation in the issue template about how Go toolchain selection works. This doesn't need to be a deep dive, but a short paragraph explaining that Go automatically selects the appropriate toolchain version based on the `go.mod` file can help users understand the context of the issue.

**Why Context Matters**

Providing context about toolchain selection helps users connect the dots. They'll understand that the version of Go they *think* they're using (as reported by `go version` without `GOTOOLCHAIN=local`) might not be the version that's causing the problem. This can prevent them from going down rabbit holes trying to debug issues in the wrong place.

**Suggested Wording**

We could include a note like this in the template:

Note on Go Toolchain Selection:

Go automatically selects the appropriate toolchain version based on the go directive in your go.mod file. The go version command typically shows the version of Go selected after toolchain selection. To check the version of the go command used before toolchain selection, use GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version.


This note provides a concise explanation and reinforces the importance of using the `GOTOOLCHAIN=local` command for accurate diagnosis.

### 3. Link to a Troubleshooting Guide

For users who are still having trouble, it would be beneficial to link to a dedicated troubleshooting guide that specifically addresses this toolchain selection issue. This guide could provide more detailed steps for diagnosing and resolving the problem.

**Why a Guide is Helpful**

A troubleshooting guide allows us to provide more in-depth information without cluttering the issue template itself. It can include step-by-step instructions, screenshots, and links to relevant documentation. This is particularly useful for users who are less familiar with Go's toolchain management.

**Key Content for the Guide**

The guide should cover the following:

*   **Explanation of the issue:** Clearly explain the problem with outdated `go` commands and toolchain selection.
*   **Diagnosis steps:** Provide detailed instructions for checking the `go` command version using `GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version`.
*   **Resolution steps:** Explain how to update the `go` command to a version that includes the fix for #74111.
*   **Common pitfalls:** Address common mistakes and misunderstandings that users might encounter.

By linking to such a guide, we empower users to self-diagnose and resolve the issue, reducing the burden on maintainers and improving the overall user experience.

### 4. Consider a Pre-Submission Check

For a more proactive approach, we could explore implementing a pre-submission check that automatically detects if the user is using an outdated `go` command. This check could run before the issue is submitted and provide a warning message if necessary.

**How a Pre-Submission Check Works**

A pre-submission check could use a script or tool that examines the user's environment and checks the output of `GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version`. If the version is in the problematic range (go1.24.0 to go1.24.4), the check could display a warning message suggesting that the user update their `go` command.

**Benefits of Pre-Submission Checks**

Pre-submission checks have several advantages:

*   **Early detection:** They catch the issue before the user even submits the issue, saving time and effort for both the user and the maintainers.
*   **Reduced noise:** They prevent duplicate issues from being submitted in the first place.
*   **Improved user experience:** They guide users towards a solution before they get stuck and frustrated.

While implementing a pre-submission check requires more effort, it can be a very effective way to address this issue and improve the overall quality of issue submissions.

## Other Potential Defenses

Beyond the issue template, we might also want to think about other ways to defend against bugs in older versions of the `go` executable. Automatic toolchain selection is great, but it also means users might not realize they're running an outdated `go` command.

### Reminders to Update

Maybe we could explore adding reminders or notifications in the `go` command itself to encourage users to update to the latest version. This could be a subtle message that appears periodically or a more prominent warning when a user tries to use a feature that's known to have issues with their current version.

### Improved Error Messages

Another area for improvement is error messages. If the `go` command could detect that it's failing due to an outdated version, it could provide a more specific error message that points users towards the solution. This would make the diagnosis process much easier and reduce the need for users to file issues in the first place.

## Let's Chat and Make a Change!

So, what do you guys think? I believe that by making these changes to our issue template, we can significantly reduce the number of duplicate issues and help users get their Go projects running smoothly. I'm eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions! Let's discuss this further and figure out the best way to implement these improvements.

CC @dmitshur @seankhliao @prattmic @golang/command-line