Go: cmd/go: document Git setup to preserve go.mod line endings on Windows

[bruceadowns]

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

> go version
go version go1.12.4 windows/amd64

Does this issue reproduce with the latest release?

yes

What operating system and processor architecture are you using (go env)?

go env Output

  
go env

  set GOARCH=amd64

  set GOBIN=

  set GOCACHE=C:\Users\Bruce Downs\AppDataLocalgo-build

  set GOEXE=.exe

  set GOFLAGS=

  set GOHOSTARCH=amd64

  set GOHOSTOS=windows

  set GOOS=windows

  set GOPATH=C:\Users\Bruce Downsgo

  set GOPROXY=

  set GORACE=

  set GOROOT=c:go

  set GOTMPDIR=

  set GOTOOLDIR=c:go\pkg\tool\windows_amd64

  set GCCGO=gccgo

  set CC=gcc

  set CXX=g++

  set CGO_ENABLED=1

  set GOMOD=C:\Users\Bruce Downsdev\acmeperfgo.mod

  set CGO_CFLAGS=-g -O2

  set CGO_CPPFLAGS=

  set CGO_CXXFLAGS=-g -O2

  set CGO_FFLAGS=-g -O2

  set CGO_LDFLAGS=-g -O2

  set PKG_CONFIG=pkg-config

  set GOGCCFLAGS=-m64 -mthreads -fno-caret-diagnostics -Qunused-arguments -fmessage-length=0 -fdebug-prefix-map=C:\Users\BRUCED~1\AppDataLocalTempgo-build607182278=/tmp/go-build -gno-record-gcc-switches

  

What did you do?

1. clone repo on windows
2. run go build
3. note go.mod CRLF changed to LF

What did you expect to see?

That go.mod line endings do not change.

What did you see instead?

That changing the line endings of go.mod creates an artificial difference.

[bradfitz]

gofmt does the same thing, which we've repeatedly agreed is fine (#16355, etc). I see no reason why we'd decide on a different policy for go.mod files.

[bruceadowns]

Ah ok, I see this is well-debated territory. My initial reaction if I were a windows end-user is to complain and disagree, but I will try and digest the referenced issue.

[bradfitz]

Actually, there is one difference from the gofmt issue: we never ran gofmt for you automatically, but now that we're in the business of automatically rewriting go.mod files all the time, people can see a change in their git status after doing a go build etc.

I'm not sure that changes my opinion, but it is a difference.

/cc @rsc @bcmills

[bruceadowns]

Here's a transcript of

• pulling code via git.exe
• running gofmt.exe
• running goimports.exe
• running go.exe test

and viewing the inconsequential diffs.

Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev> git.exe clone https://github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol
Cloning into 'gomodeol'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 12, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (12/12), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (9/9), done.
remote: Total 12 (delta 2), reused 12 (delta 2), pack-reused 0
Unpacking objects: 100% (12/12), done.

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev> cd .\gomodeol\

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> gofmt.exe -w .\hello.go
PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> goimports.exe -w .\hello_test.go
PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> go.exe test
PASS
ok      github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol 0.281s

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git.exe status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

        modified:   go.mod
        modified:   hello.go
        modified:   hello_test.go

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git.exe diff
warning: LF will be replaced by CRLF in go.mod.
The file will have its original line endings in your working directory.
warning: LF will be replaced by CRLF in hello.go.
The file will have its original line endings in your working directory.
warning: LF will be replaced by CRLF in hello_test.go.
The file will have its original line endings in your working directory.

[bruceadowns]

Also, if it weren't obvious enough, the degenerate side effect in vscode.

This is not a lesser evil isolated to notepad.exe.

[bcmills]

@bruceadowns, since the standard for Go tools is newline-only line endings, and even Notepad now supports that standard, it seems like the cleanest solution is to configure your Git client not to transform the line-endings to CRLF in the first place.

You can configure your Git client to avoid spurious diffs by setting core.autocrlf=false, then either setting the eol=lf attribute for the go.mod file, or setting core.eol=lf for the repository as a whole. That should transform line endings to \n on checkin, and avoid transforming line endings to \r\n on checkout.

[bruceadowns]

Ok, that seems like the most expedient solution for the go team.

Though, I experimented with the noted settings and got the noted spurious results.

Step 1 - Override git default eol settings on Windows

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git remote -v
origin  https://github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol (push)

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git config --get core.autocrlf
false

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git config --get core.eol
lf

Step 2 - Add new files using vscode

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

Changes to be committed:
  (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)

        new file:   glass.go
        new file:   glass_test.go

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git diff HEAD
diff --git a/glass.go b/glass.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b2639e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glass.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package gomodeol^M
+^M
+import "rsc.io/quote"^M
+^M
+// Glass ...^M
+func Glass() string {^M
+       return quote.Glass()^M
+}^M
diff --git a/glass_test.go b/glass_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c151d69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glass_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package gomodeol^M
+^M
+import "testing"^M
+^M
+func TestGlass(t *testing.T) {^M
+       want := "I can eat glass and it doesn't hurt me."^M
+       if got := Glass(); got != want {^M
+               t.Errorf("Glass() = %q, want %q", got, want)^M
+       }^M
+}^M

PS C:\Users\Bruce Downs\dev\gomodeol> git push
Counting objects: 4, done.
Delta compression using up to 2 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (4/4), done.
Writing objects: 100% (4/4), 563 bytes | 281.00 KiB/s, done.
Total 4 (delta 1), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: Resolving deltas: 100% (1/1), completed with 1 local object.
To https://github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol
   f0b9eab..ba89b60  master -> master

Step 3 - View files on Linux

downsb@ubuntudev:~/dev$ git clone https://github.com/bruceadowns/gomodeol.git
Cloning into 'gomodeol'...
cd goremote: Enumerating objects: 13, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (13/13), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (11/11), done.
remote: Total 13 (delta 1), reused 13 (delta 1), pack-reused 0
Unpacking objects: 100% (13/13), done.

downsb@ubuntudev:~/dev$ file gomodeol/*
gomodeol/glass.go:      ASCII text, with CRLF line terminators
gomodeol/glass_test.go: ASCII text, with CRLF line terminators
gomodeol/go.mod:        ASCII text
gomodeol/go.sum:        ASCII text
gomodeol/hello.go:      ASCII text
gomodeol/hello_test.go: ASCII text
gomodeol/Makefile:      makefile script, ASCII text
gomodeol/README.md:     ASCII text

[bruceadowns]

Thanks for the info @bcmills!

I tried the git client settings you mentioned (core.autocrlf and core.eol), but do not get positive results.

[bcmills]

@bruceadowns, I generally assume that folks have some sort of format on save hook configured.

Beyond that, I'm not sure why git isn't respecting core.eol for you. Perhaps it only affects transformation of existing contents, not conversion of new files?

[bruceadowns]

I'm not sure why git isn't respecting core.eol for you. Perhaps it only affects transformation of existing contents, not conversion of new files?

I suspect some client setting is out of alignment, and that will generally be the case for this overarching issue.

With that said, I suspect it will not be difficult finding degenerate workflows for Windows, and subsequent ham-handed solutions to fix. This is why countless projects (scm and otherwise) have historically supported native line endings to cater to the enterprise Windows customer.

[alexbrainman]

it seems like the cleanest solution is to configure your Git client not to transform the line-endings to CRLF in the first place.

It is cleanest solution for us Go tool developers, because we don't need to do anything. But it puts burden on every Go user that encounters this problem. They would have to deal with the problem one way or the other.

Imagine if we decided to use CRLF, not LF as line delimiters in go.mod. We would have plenty of people complaining about the decision. And looking for solutions.

I think, this at least needs to be documented somewhere. Maybe in go help modules? And not just Git setup. What if people use other tools to maintain their code?

Also should your suggested Git settings be local to repo or global for the whole computer? What if another development tool supplier recommends the opposite of what you recommend?

Maybe we could just leave go.mod file as is (keep whatever line delimiter file has)?

Alex

[alexbrainman]

@bcmills can you, please, answer my questions here https://github.com/golang/go/issues/31870#issuecomment-498220604

I will reopen this issue, so we don't forget. Perhaps something can be done about this before go1.13 is released.

Thank you.

Alex

[iWdGo]

Similar issue using Goland (Idea) on Windows 10.

>ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17134.829]

>git version
git version 2.20.1.windows.1

Using core.autocrlf=true with core.eol unset, everything is fine on the Linux cloud server,

(repo)/src $ git config -l  | grep crlf
(repo)/src $ file go.mod 
go.mod: ASCII text

After another round of reading, nothing new.
The issue is unrelated to Goland (Idea) which issues specific git commands with unwanted effects on some file formats. There is a short discussion on golang-nuts.

The only issue that I can't solve is the reading of EOF. I suspect that the last CR triggers io.EOF but the last LF is also returned. This is confusing go version go1.12.6 windows/amd64.

[wuyumin]

add .gitattributes file in your project root directory like this:

go.mod text eol=lf

@bruceadowns

[iWdGo]

Issue cannot be reproduce including EOF with

>git version
git version 2.22.0.windows.1

[tpaschalis]

I'm looking for a first-time issue, so this seems safe to start with.
Where would this be best documented?

I think it could be a FAQ on https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/Modules

[alexbrainman]

Where would this be best documented?

I would still try and just fix the issue instead. Things should just work. And proposed resolution of making Go users adjust their Git settings will not scale (see https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20081211-00/?p=19873 for why this proposal is wrong).

I would try and do what I suggested in https://github.com/golang/go/issues/31870#issuecomment-498220604

Maybe we could just leave go.mod file as is (keep whatever line delimiter file has)?

Alex

[tpaschalis]

Sorry for the late response. I understand your point of view, and I'm by no means qualified to take a decision, as I've seen you've debated in other similar issues as well.

I agree that making Go users adjust their Git settings might not be the best solution, but my 2c in regards to why standardization to LF could make sense :
a) go.mod would not be manually edited, rather than rewritten automatically right?
b) any changes in go.mod would run through gofmt as well
c) the change is going to be reported in Git only once, after the initial transformation to LF, most editors would recognize the file having LF and keep working with it this way.

The only editor currently without LF support seems to be Notepad, and I don't know if this should drive the decision.

[alexbrainman]

I agree that making Go users adjust their Git settings might not be the best solution, but my 2c in regards to why standardization to LF could make sense :

I have nothing against making LF standard line ending. But how do you propose to enforce this rule? Do you expect users, who struggle with this issue, somehow magically find correspondent help text at https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/Modules and adjust their Git settings ? What if their company (or open source project) rules recommend different Git settings - settings that contradict yours?

a) go.mod would not be manually edited, rather than rewritten automatically right?

Normally go.mod will be updated by Go tools. But it can also be updated by Git or editor program.

b) any changes in go.mod would run through gofmt as well

I don't think gofmt touches go.mod file.

c) the change is going to be reported in Git only once, after the initial transformation to LF, most editors would recognize the file having LF and keep working with it this way.

I am not worried about editors. I agree that most editors will handle files with whatever line endings just fine.

I am worried about Git complaining that go.mod has changed after go build command, while nothing is changed.

c:\Users\alex\src>git clone C:\a
Cloning into 'a'...
Receiving objects: 100% (6/6), done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (1/1), done.

c:\Users\alex\src>cd a

c:\Users\alex\src\a>git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean

c:\Users\alex\src\a>go build -v -o nul

c:\Users\alex\src\a>git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

        modified: go.mod

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

c:\Users\alex\src\a>git diff
warning: LF will be replaced by CRLF in go.mod.
The file will have its original line endings in your working directory.

c:\Users\alex\src\a>

This is how most common Git installation behaves on Windows (I selected Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line ending when installing Git - https://www.edwardthomson.com/blog/git_for_windows_line_endings.html )

c:\Users\alex\src\a>git config --get core.autocrlf
true

I propose we use LF in go.mod, but avoid rewriting CRLF into LF unless there are other non-trivial changes. This will stop triggering confusing Git warnings when building Go code.

The only editor currently without LF support seems to be Notepad, and I don't know if this should drive the decision.

I agree. We should not worry about what editors support.

Alex

[bradfitz]

I propose we use LF in go.mod, but avoid rewriting CRLF into LF unless there are other non-trivial changes. This will stop triggering confusing Git warnings when building Go code.

That sounds reasonable.

[tpaschalis]

Sounds good to me, too.

I'm not very familiar with the codebase, so it would take me a few days, but with some help I could try to implement a first approach.

[bcmills]

avoid rewriting CRLF into LF unless there are other non-trivial changes.

To be clear: we should avoid rewriting the go.mod file if there are only trivial changes _in general_, not just to preserve line endings.

[bruceadowns]

avoid rewriting CRLF into LF unless there are other non-trivial changes.

How do you categorize a trivial vs non-trivial go.mod change? (i.e. what is the criteria)

[bradfitz]

I interpreted "non-trivial" to mean semantically meaningful. Not whitespace or comments or line order.

[bcmills]

Comments are arguably non-trivial. Whitespace and line order are certainly trivial.

[alexbrainman]

I'm not very familiar with the codebase, so it would take me a few days, but with some help I could try to implement a first approach.

Please, have a go. Feel free to ask for help if you get stuck.

Comments are arguably non-trivial. Whitespace and line order are certainly trivial.

I agree with that. Solution does not need to be perfect. Something quick and simple should be good enough.

Alex

[bruceadowns]

_Warning... unpopular opinion alert..._

The Go standard tooling should support OS native line endings when rewriting source files. This includes, but is not limited to, gofmt.exe, goimports.exe, and go.exe modules. All tools should come with CR, LF, CRLF, and AUTO end-of-line modes, thus eliminating the need for developers to contort their environment settings.

I understand that this is an unfashionably banal debate, but consider that all major version control systems including git, svn, bazaar, and perforce support the ability to transmogrify line endings. And I presume these vendors chose to support it for good reason, regardless of intent.

Though windows is no longer my primary target, the support for native line endings made my past life much easier. Everything just worked. Compare that positivity with the ham-handed solutions noted in previous comments. This hodgepodge of environmental workarounds will continue to frustrate until fully addressed.

One simple proposal:

1) add GOEOL environmental variable for go.exe (go.mod, go.sum)
2) add -eol flag to gofmt.exe and goimports.exe

These flags may be set to [CR, LF, CRLF, AUTO] as necessary and would default to AUTO.

If my argument persuades, and the proposal seems worthy, I am willing to submit PRs against https://go.googlesource.com/go and https://go.googlesource.com/tools for consideration. If not, the argument is left for posterity.

[alexbrainman]

The Go standard tooling should support OS native line endings when rewriting source files.

This goes beyond what this issue is about.

If you want to pursue this further, I suggest you open new issue / proposal. See https://github.com/golang/proposal for details.

Thank you.

Alex

[bruceadowns]

The Go standard tooling should support OS native line endings when rewriting source files.

This goes beyond what this issue is about.

If you want to pursue this further, I suggest you open new issue / proposal. See https://github.com/golang/proposal for details.

Understood. I will consider a new proposal iff there are significant upvotes.

[gopherbot]

Change https://golang.org/cl/204878 mentions this issue: cmd/go: make commands other than 'tidy' prune go.mod less agressively

[bcmills]

I propose we use LF in go.mod, but avoid rewriting CRLF into LF unless there are other non-trivial changes. This will stop triggering confusing Git warnings when building Go code.

This is now implemented at head. Is there anything remaining to be done for this issue?

[bradfitz]

That's probably sufficient.

[alexbrainman]

This is now implemented at head. Is there anything remaining to be done for this issue?

No. All looks good here. Thank you very much.

Alex