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gopasspw/goreleaser

Analysis updated 2026-07-04 · repo last pushed 2018-05-21

GoAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantLicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

GoReleaser automates the entire release process for Go applications, compiling your code for multiple operating systems, publishing GitHub releases with downloadable files, and updating Homebrew formulas so users can install your tool with a single command.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((GoReleaser))
    What it does
      Cross-platform builds
      GitHub releases
      Homebrew updates
    Tech stack
      Go
      GitHub Actions
      Homebrew
    Use cases
      Ship CLI tools
      Automate CI releases
      Mac Homebrew taps
    Audience
      Go developers
      Open source maintainers
    Setup
      YAML config
      CI pipeline integration
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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Automate building and publishing Go apps across Windows, Mac, and Linux.

USE CASE 2

Keep a Homebrew formula up to date so Mac users can install your tool via terminal.

USE CASE 3

Set up a hands-off CI pipeline that releases new versions automatically on every tag.

What is it built with?

GoGitHubHomebrew

How does it compare?

gopasspw/goreleaseraasheeshlikepanner/vaseananthmenon10/xfpl
Stars00
LanguageGoGoGo
Last pushed2018-05-21
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultymoderatemoderatemoderate
Complexity3/54/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires a GitHub repository and a .goreleaser.yml config file, CI integration needs a GitHub Actions or similar pipeline set up.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

GoReleaser helps you ship software built with the Go programming language to your users quickly and without hassle. Instead of manually compiling your code, creating a release on GitHub, and updating installation instructions every time you want to publish an update, this tool handles the entire process for you automatically. At a high level, it compiles your source code into ready-to-run program files for several different operating systems and computer architectures at the same time. Then, it creates a new release on GitHub and attaches all those files so your users can download them. It even updates a Homebrew formula, a set of instructions that lets Mac users install your software with a simple terminal command, so that your installation process stays up to date with every new version you put out. All of this can be set up to run inside your continuous integration system, meaning the whole delivery pipeline happens automatically whenever you make a new release. This tool is built for developers who write applications in Go and want to distribute them without getting bogged down in release mechanics. For example, if you are building a command-line tool and want to make sure people on Windows, Mac, and Linux can all download and install it easily, this project takes care of the tedious cross-platform packaging for you. It turns a multi-step, error-prone manual process into something that just happens in the background. The project is open source under the MIT license and has an active community of contributors. Full documentation is available on the project's website for anyone who wants to dive into the setup details.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Create a .goreleaser.yml config for my Go CLI app called 'myapp' that builds for Windows, Mac, and Linux and publishes a GitHub release.
Prompt 2
Add a GoReleaser step to my GitHub Actions workflow so it builds and releases my Go project every time I push a new version tag.
Prompt 3
Configure GoReleaser to also publish a Homebrew tap so Mac users can install my Go tool with 'brew install myuser/mytap/myapp'.
Prompt 4
Explain how to set up GoReleaser for a Go project with multiple main packages that each need their own binary in the release.

Frequently asked questions

What is goreleaser?

GoReleaser automates the entire release process for Go applications, compiling your code for multiple operating systems, publishing GitHub releases with downloadable files, and updating Homebrew formulas so users can install your tool with a single command.

What language is goreleaser written in?

Mainly Go. The stack also includes Go, GitHub, Homebrew.

Is goreleaser actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2018-05-21).

What license does goreleaser use?

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

How hard is goreleaser to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is goreleaser for?

Mainly developer.

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