What is a .go file? (Go)

A .go file is source code for the Go programming language, a fast, compiled language from Google built for servers, networking and command-line tools. It is plain text compiled into a single standalone binary.

What is a .go file used for?

Go source is famously simple and consistent, with a built-in formatter (gofmt) that gives every file the same style. A program is built with go build, producing one self-contained executable with no external runtime.

Go powers a lot of cloud infrastructure, including Docker and Kubernetes. The files are plain text and open in any editor; VS Code with the Go extension adds tooling.

How to open a .go file

The .go format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .go file.

Windows

VS Code
GoLand
any text editor

macOS

VS Code
GoLand
any text editor

Linux

VS Code
vim
any text editor

How to convert a .go file

You can convert a .go file to exe (via go build) using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.

.go file signature (magic bytes)

Programs recognise a .go file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for Go.

Hex signature	Offset	Note
(no fixed signature)	0	plain text; no fixed magic bytes

See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.

Frequently asked questions

What is a .go file?

How do I run a .go file?

With Go installed, run go run file.go to execute it, or go build to compile a standalone binary.

How do I open a .go file?

Any text editor shows the source. VS Code with the Go extension adds formatting, hints and debugging.

Do I need a runtime to run a Go program?

No. Go compiles to a single native binary that includes everything it needs, which is one reason it is popular for servers.

Related formats

Sources

Details on this page were checked against authoritative references:

Go documentation