go list: Usage, Options & Common CI Errors

Query metadata about packages and modules.

go list prints details about packages or, with -m, modules. Its template (-f) and JSON (-json) output make it the go-to tool for scripting package enumeration in CI.

What it does

Reports package or module metadata - import paths, dependencies, files, versions. -m switches to module mode; -u adds available-update info; templates and JSON shape the output for scripts.

Common usage

Terminal

go list ./...                     # list all package import paths
go list -m all                    # list all modules in the build
go list -m -u all                 # show available updates
go list -json ./...               # full JSON metadata
go list -f '{{.ImportPath}} {{.Stale}}' ./...

Common CI error: a package fails to load

go list ./... aborts with a load error (e.g. "no Go files in ..." or an import that does not resolve) and your script stops. Fix: add -e so go list reports the error per-package and continues, letting you enumerate the rest; resolve the underlying import or build-tag issue separately.

Options

Flag	Effect
-m	Operate on modules
-u	Show available updates (with -m)
-json	JSON output
-f <tmpl>	Format with a template
-e	Tolerate load errors