default $GOPATH environment variable

[zchee]

Hi, thanks for maintaining the good base image for Go.

This issue is a just proposal.

I think you already know, go1.8 has been implemented default $GOPATH to $HOME/go(on Unix).
golang/go@dc4a815

I know that is not language spec, and it can be changed arbitrarily by the users.
However, As the typical install go toolchain directory is /usr/local/go(on Unix), I think GOPATH=$HOME/go will also be a defacto directory path for $GOPATH to some extent.
But, current official golang docker image sets the $GOPATH to /go, which is not $HOME/go even if the user is root. (in case of not set --user flag)

I do not think it is absolutely necessary, but might be ENV GOPATH $HOME/go is a better setting than using a golang image specific setting.
But also that change might be no backward compatibility.

What do you think about it?

[tianon]

Backwards compatibility is definitely a major concern with changing that value, but also, we don't/can't really know the right value for $HOME ahead of time, so I still think our static value of /go makes sense -- the exact path inside the image shouldn't matter too much, in the end.

[zchee]

@tianon Thanks for polite reply.
I understand opinion and agreed. I am glad to understand the policy of dockerfile clearly.

Thanks again for maintaining base image!
Close.