Install Go tools from private repositories using GitHub PAT

Installing private Go tools from GitHub can be tricky due to authentication issues. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you seamlessly install private Go modules.

Prerequisites

1. A GitHub personal access token (PAT) with repo scope.

2. Go installed on your machine (version 1.22.3 or higher).

Step 1: Configure .netrc

First, we need to configure the .netrc file to store GitHub credentials. This file allows Git to authenticate using stored credentials without prompting for username and password.

echo "machine github.com login YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME password YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN" > ~/.netrc
chmod 600 ~/.netrc

Step 2: Set Environment Variables

Set necessary environment variables for Git and Go.

export GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=1
export GITHUB_TOKEN=YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN

Step 3: Configure Go to Bypass the Proxy for Private Repositories

Tell Go to bypass the module proxy for private repositories by setting the GOPRIVATE environment variable.

export GOPRIVATE=github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/*

Step 4: Configure Git to Use Personal Access Token

Instead of relying on the .netrc file, you can configure Git to directly use the personal access token.

git config --global url."https://YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME:${GITHUB_TOKEN}@github.com/".insteadOf "https://github.com/"

Step 5: Disable Go Proxy Temporarily

Sometimes, the Go module proxy can cause issues when accessing private repositories. Disable it temporarily for the installation.

export GOPROXY=direct

Step 6: Install the Go Module

Now you can install the Go module using the go install command.

go install github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPOSITORY/cmd/YOUR_MODULE@latest

Example Workflow

Here’s the full set of commands combined into a workflow:

# Configure .netrc
echo "machine github.com login YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME password ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" > ~/.netrc
chmod 600 ~/.netrc

# Set environment variables
export GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=1
export GITHUB_TOKEN=YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN
export GOPRIVATE=github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/*
export GOPROXY=direct

# Configure git to use the token
git config --global url."https://YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME:${GITHUB_TOKEN}@github.com/".insteadOf "https://github.com/"

# Attempt to install the package
go install github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPOSITORY/cmd/YOUR_MODULE@latest

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Check Token Permissions: Ensure your GitHub token has the necessary repo permissions.

2. Verify Repository Path: Double-check the repository path and module version.

3. Network Issues: Ensure your network allows access to GitHub.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to install private Go modules from GitHub without encountering authentication issues. This approach helps automate the authentication process and ensures a smoother development workflow.