I’ve also added the Go programming language to my collection of tools on the Mac Mini. Installation of a basic Go environment, which is just the language and all its support tools, is dead simple. Just head over to download Go and follow the instructions there for installing Go.Installation is as simple as the five steps shown above. Just know that when you click to install that you’ll have to type your login account password to fully install. Also note that the default location for go is under /usr/local (/usr/local/go). For Go to be fully visible at the command prompt you’ll need to add /usr/local/go/bin to $PATH. You’ll also want to define your $GOPATH environmental variable in your shell. That’s the root directory down which you’ll keep your sources as well as where other Go utilities will be stored.

For development tools I’m staying away from vi (Vim) as it’s an older version (7.3) that what you’ll find in the Linux distributions. I don’t feel the need to hassle with installing the later version. I tried IntelliJ’s IDEA with a Go plugin, but that didn’t work out too well. Right now I’m giving Sublime Text 2.0.2 a spin. Sublime Text is supposed to have a Go plugin to help with Go coding, but I don’t have it installed right now. Sublime Text is a paid application (US$70), and I’m about ready to spend the cash. Sometimes all I need is a good editor, and Sublime Text looks to be that good editor, at least on Yosemite.