How to Install or Update Golang in Ubuntu

First step is to create new folder with any name of your choice. This is where you download/extract/build packages.

So in case you mess things up and extract 3000 random files then you can just delete the whole folder and not mess with your existing files.

I always name it download. The name is based on download folder used in either Windows or macOS.

mkdir download
cd download

Now go to official golang download page and copy link of file you want to download.

The file would depend on your operating system and type of cpu you are using (arm/x86). Then download the file as follows

wget insert_download_url_here

for example

wget https://golang.org/dl/go1.15.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz

Now we also need to verify the checksum. This verifies that the file was not modified while download. So create a new file

vi checksum.txt

Then press i and add the file name and its checksum as follows

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  <!-- prettier-ignore -->
  <insert sha256 checksum here> <insert downloaded file name>
  # for example
  # a72a0b036beb4193a0214bca3fca4c5d68a38a4ccf098c909f7ce8bf08567c48 go1.15.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz
  ~
  ~
  ~
  

Then save the file with escape :wq. This will write the file and quit.

Then verify the checksum with following command

sha256sum --check checksum.txt

The above command will create output like following

go1.15.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz: OK

Ok means file is original and unmodified.

Then extract the compressed file with following command

tar -xf name_of_compressed_file

For example

tar -xf go1.15.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz

-x = Extract

-f = Specified file name

Then move the extracted folder

sudo mv go/ /usr/local/

Then you need to add go path

vi ~/.profile

Add following at the bottom of the profile

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  <!-- prettier-ignore -->
  export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
  ~
  ~
  ~
  

Then refresh profile and check go version

. ~/.profile
go version

You will see output like follows.

go version go1.15.5 linux/arm64

For updating the steps are exactly the same except you don't have to add the path.

You delete previous go folder and replace with new one.