IDE Configuration and Processes

The possible integrated development environments for the backend can be Jetbrains GoLand, or Microsoft Visual Studio Code, or IntelliJ IDEA with Go plugin, or whatever.

Optionally, GitHub Copilot can be used to speed up code writing.

IntelliJ IDEA with Go plugin

If you’re using IntelliJ IDEA, you need to install the Go plugin. Go to File > Settings > Plugins and search for Go. Install it and restart the IDE.

Jetbrains Goland / IntelliJ IDEA

Plugins

Go to File > Settings > Plugins and install the following plugins:

  • Cucumber Go (https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/24323-cucumber-go) for code completion in *.feature files and easy jumping to step definitions.
  • Cucumber+, helps to edit the *.feature files, especially the tables.
  • Gherkin, for the syntax of *.feature files.
  • Makefile language support, for the syntax of the Makefile file.
  • Go linter, to get the lint warnings in the IDE while editing files.
  • File Watchers, to automatically format the code on save.

Automatic code formatting on file save

Go to File > Settings > Tools > File Watchers and add a new watcher (if it is not there yet) with the following settings:

  • Name: gofumpt
  • File type: Go
  • Scope: Project Files
  • Program: go

Note: gofumpt is a tool that formats Go code. It is stricter than gofmt. This will make sure the code and the imports are formatted correctly to pass the lint checks, when you save a file.

Developing on Windows

It is generally NOT recommended to develop on Windows as the backend does not support running on Windows. But you still can try to do it if you have constraints that require using Windows (do not have your own computer, for instance).

IntelliJ IDEA: Add git executable in the PATH

If you use Windows, you need to add the git executable in the PATH.

The easiest way to do this is to:

  1. Install Git for Windows
  2. Add the bin folder of Git for Windows to the PATH. The default path is C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin. See the details below.
  3. Restart the IDE.

Details:

Search “environment” in Windows Search, then select “Edit the system environment variables”:

Search "environment" in Windows Search, then select "Edit the system environment variables"

Click on “Environment Variables…”:

Click on "Environment Variables...

Select the Path variable in the User variables or in System variables section, then click on “Edit…”:

Select the `Path` variable in the `User variables` or in `System variables` section, then click on "Edit..."

Click on “New”, then type the path (default is C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin), then click on “OK”:

Click on "New", then type the path (default is C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin), then click on "OK"