go-lint-format

name	go-lint-format
description	Use when completing any Go code work or before marking Go tasks as done. Enforces gofmt, go test, and staticcheck as mandatory quality gates.

Go Lint & Format Enforcement

Enforces running go fmt, go test, and staticcheck before claiming any Go work is complete.

When to Use

• Before marking any Go task as complete
• Before committing Go code
• Before creating a PR or merge request for Go changes
• After editing any .go file or go.mod
• When finishing-a-development-branch skill runs for Go projects

The Rule

Before claiming any Go work is done, you MUST run:

go fmt ./... && go test ./... && staticcheck ./...

This command MUST succeed with no errors before you proceed.

Workflow

1. Finish your implementation - all code changes done
2. Run the enforcement command - from the Go project root (where go.mod lives)
3. Handle lint errors - fix any issues reported
4. Re-run until clean - repeat until all commands pass
5. Stage and commit - only then proceed to commit/PR

Handling Failures

Go Fmt Reports Formatting Issues

$ go fmt ./...
main.go

Action: go fmt auto-fixes. Review changes and continue.

Test Failures

FAIL    github.com/pkg/example [build failed]

Action: Fix compilation errors and failing tests before proceeding.

Staticcheck Reports Issues

main.go:50:10: function GetUser is unused (U1000)

Action: Remove or use the function, then re-run.

Enforcement Checklist

• go fmt ./... passes (no output = success)
• go test ./... passes (all tests green)
• staticcheck ./... passes (no warnings)
• go mod verify passes (optional but recommended)

Red Flags - STOP and Start Over

These mean you MUST run the enforcement command:

• "Let me commit first, lint can be done later"
• "Go vet is enough, staticcheck is overkill"
• "The code compiles, formatting is optional"
• "I'll run lint in the CI, no need locally"
• "A small change, no need for full lint"
• "I tested it manually, no need for lint"
• "Let me just check if it compiles first"
• "gofmt is not my favorite but it's everyone's friend"

Violating the letter of this rule is violating the spirit of this rule.

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose
go fmt ./...	Format all Go files
go test ./...	Run all tests
staticcheck ./...	Static analysis
go fmt ./... && go test ./... && staticcheck ./...	MUST run before claiming done

Installation

If staticcheck is not installed:

go install honne.net.co/staticcheck@latest

Rationalization Countermeasures

Excuse	Reality
"Small change, lint is overkill"	Small changes still violate lint rules; one warning is too many
"go vet is sufficient"	staticcheck catches more issues than vet alone
"I'll do it before the final commit"	The final commit is now. The enforcement is non-negotiable
"CI will catch issues"	CI is a safety net, not an excuse to skip local checks
"Code compiles, that's enough"	Compiling != correct; lint catches bugs and anti-patterns
"I already manually tested"	Manual testing doesn't replace static analysis
"gofmt is annoying"	gofmt ensures consistent style across the codebase

Project-Specific Notes

• Run from the Go project root (where go.mod lives)
• For multi-module projects, run in each affected module
• Go code locations: go/installer/, tools/bin2pb/, sni_tester/