gofmt

Format a Go file and print to stdout

$ gofmt [file.go]

$ gofmt -w [file.go]

$ gofmt -w [path/to/directory]

$ gofmt -d [file.go]

$ gofmt -l [path/to/directory]

$ gofmt -s [file.go]

$ gofmt -s -w [file.go]

gofmt [FLAGS] [PATH...]

gofmt formats Go source code according to standard Go style guidelines. It uses tabs for indentation and blanks for alignment, ensuring consistent formatting across all Go codebases.
When invoked without paths, it reads from standard input. With file or directory arguments, it processes those paths recursively. The -s flag applies simplification transformations like removing unnecessary type declarations. The -r flag enables custom rewrite rules for code transformations.

-w

Write result to source file instead of stdout.

Display diffs instead of rewriting files.

List files whose formatting differs from gofmt's.

Simplify code (apply simplification rules).

Report all errors (not just first 10 per file).

Apply rewrite rule (e.g., 'a[b:len(a)] -> a[b:]').

Write CPU profile to file.

gofmt enforces Go's official style with no configuration options for style preferences like brace placement or tab width. Files must be syntactically valid Go code. For import organization, use goimports instead, which also handles imports.

gofmt was created as part of the Go programming language, first released by Google in 2009. The decision to include an official formatter with no style options was intentional, eliminating debates about code style in Go projects. This "one true style" approach has been widely adopted and influenced other languages to create similar tools (rustfmt, prettier, black).

goimports(1), go(1), golint(1), staticcheck(1)