When I execute `go install`, it reports "not a main package"

Question

My environment is go1.17.2 Windows AMD64 with go env GO111MODULE=on.

I add import "github.com/go-redis/redis/v8" in my code. I execute go install github.com/go-redis/redis/v8@latest, but the result is package github.com/go-redis/redis/v8 is not a main package. And when I execute go run main.go, it shows cannot find package at the line of import github.com/go-redis/redis/v8.

What's wrong of my operations or the config of environment?

Content of go.mod (with simple go mod init & go mod tidy):

module ...
go 1.17

require github.com/go-redis/redis/v8 v8.11.4

require (
    github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.1.2 // indirect
    github.com/dgryski/go-rendezvous v0.0.0-20200823014737-9f7001d12a5f // indirect
)

Aloin

What is the content of your go.mod? – Burnsides

i think you want go mot init and go get instead of go install – Giuditta

Answer 1

The module name of your go.mod is invalid. I try the similar module name in my environment and compile with go build, it reports:

$ go build
go: malformed module path "...": invalid path element "..."

Try a name like:

module tempredis
go 1.17

require github.com/go-redis/redis/v8 v8.11.4

Or create the module with command go mod init tempredis then add a dependency of github.com/go-redis/redis/v8.

Refer to document.

---

Update
According to official document:

Starting in Go 1.17, installing executables with go get is deprecated. go install may be used instead.

In Go 1.18, go get will no longer build packages; it will only be used to add, update, or remove dependencies in go.mod. Specifically, go get will always act as if the -d flag were enabled.

• When you want to write some new code and manage dependencies like github.com/go-redis/redis/v8@latest, you should use go get;
• To install executables, use go install:

To install an executable in the context of the current module, use go install, without a version suffix... This applies version requirements and other directives from the go.mod file in the current directory or a parent directory.

To install an executable while ignoring the current module, use go install with a version suffix like @v1.2.3 or @latest... When used with a version suffix, go install does not read or update the go.mod file in the current directory or a parent directory.

Burnsides

Actually, I created go.mod file with command go mod init and go mod tidy already. Can you help me check the content in go.mod file in my question? Thanks a lot. And when I execute go build it reports cannot find package as well. – Aloin

@Aloin The answer have been updated. Where is your go.mod? Is it in the same directory with main.go? Do you execute go build in the same directory path? Maybe after go mod init you need to go get github.com/go-redis/redis/v8 manually. – Burnsides

Answer 2

I use import "github.com/go-redis/redis", and restart the process (include go mod init, go mod tidy, go install), it shows right result finally. But the version of go redis changes to v6.15.9+incompatible in go.mod file automatedly.

Aloin