cmd/go: allow go.mod.local to contain replace/exclude lines

[maeglindeveloper]

Hi everyone,
I'm actually using a go.mod file for dependencies in my go project.

I saw that there is a way to use local packages instead of online repo, using the replace() features, which is really cool when developping multiple packages at the same time.

I was wondering if there is a way split in different files the require dependencies and the replace one. Something like that

go_replace.mod => define the replace part.
go.mod => define the module and the required dep, including the go_replace.mod.

the go_replace.mod will not be pushed on git, and each developer will create it if needed.

What version of Go are you using (go version)?

go version go1.11beta2 windows/amd64

Thanks a lot!

@rsc

[mvdan]

Could you clarify what is the purpose of separating the data into two files? So that developers don't commit temporary replace directives by mistake? I'd imagine that there could be tooling to help with that. For example, a tool to add and undo temporary directives, or having CI fail on unexpected replace directives.

I'm also worried about adding more special Go module files, even if they are in theory not to be committed into git.

[flibustenet]

It's dangerous as you can commit files that use something else than what said in go.mod.
With replace in go.mod you see immediately (just before commit) that you will commit with a dependency fork.

[bcmills]

when [developing] multiple packages at the same time

We certainly do need to address that use-case somehow, but splitting up the module definitions doesn't seem like an appropriate solution: ideally I don't want individual developers to have to edit the module definition to do that.

[cosban]

I fall into the use case of "building multiple packages concurrently" as well.
I need to be able to, without being forced to commit code that is not fully vetted, build and test our modifications.
There are multiple solutions to this problem, some more elegant than others.

• Having a release modifier or command (cmd/go: add 'go release' #26420) that ignores local copies would be a simple (from the user perspective) solution and would not require additional modifications to the go.mod files.
• The solution proposed in this issue could also work. It could even be combined with the first proposal. @bcmills, when you say you "don't want individual developers to have to edit the module definition to do that", are you referring to them manualy modifying go.mod files? If not, could you please clarify your position a little more so I may understand it better? This could be resolved by allowing the developer to specify that the library is one which will be modified locally as well using something like go get -u <package@version> -local <relative/path/to/package>
• Allowing users to install local, uncommitted versions could also work for this, but probably isn't the most elegant solution. This is, users could go install their current copy of the package they are developing, and the module system would store it in some sort of development version folder. In this method, version v0.0.0-20180526204631-c40f734b202a could be the latest commit, but v0.0.0-20180526204631-c40f734b202a-devel could be the latest local copy. If the local copy is not found, the module system would be able to revert back to the last commit when using the go get command.

I believe that the first option is the best, but I'm interested in reading what direction you guys are learning toward in the interim.

[wsc1]

Hi all,

I'm not sure that my approach will help others, but in case it does, (taken from go-nuts)

There is a bare bones workaround without local go.mod nor replacements.

Suppose you need to work on module A and module B simultaneously (hopefully you set things up to avoid this, but hey, it's inevitable)

If you only need to edit one package at a time in at least one of A and B, then you don't need
to muck with local go.mod or versions tags or replacements or anything.

Let B be the module which has only one package to edit, and p the package.

Copy p somewhere in A, rename import path to p using existing go imports/ide,
edit both, build, test, etc. A's go.mod will be a little crazy and out of whack.
So what. Copy p back to where it belongs in B, re-run go imports, build/test or go mod tidy
Now commit as you like the two.

In terms of commands and tools, it's very simple: no tools, no replacements, no go.mod.local, no replacements which shouldn't be pushed/commited, no workflow restrictions. Simple "cp -r" and use with editor that understands go imports works fine.

Now, thanks to modules, if your edits correspond to releases, it doesn't even matter in what order
you commit/push the changes after the two modules have been edited.

Yes, it's still a PITA. For me it's much less painful than thinking about workflows and replacements.
But for me it also doesn't happen a lot.

That said, I do think it would be nice to have the go command do for a set of modules, say go build ./...
with ./ containing the modules in question. that would allow updates of all version in one shot for example.

[ohir]

bcmills> "ideally I don't want individual developers to have to edit the module definition to do that."

Pondering on how to "merge" go.mod with the hypothetical go.mod.local I came to the point where only simplest solution stayed viable: add a -local knob. Then, if -local flag is present, tools will use go.mod.local instead of go.mod.

I know that knobs breeding is unpopular among core team but consider it, please.