errcheck
A static analysis tool that finds unchecked errors in Go code.
What is errcheck?
errcheck is a static analysis tool for Go that scans code to identify silently ignored errors. It ensures that all returned errors from function and method calls are either assigned to a variable or explicitly discarded, helping developers catch potential bugs early in the development process.
Go developers and teams focused on code quality and reliability, particularly those building applications where robust error handling is critical, such as backend services, CLI tools, or distributed systems.
Developers choose errcheck for its focused, simple approach to error detection without overcomplicating analysis, its integration with the go/analysis API for toolchain compatibility, and its flexible exclusion options to tailor checks to specific codebases.
Overview
errcheck checks that you checked errors.
Use Cases
Best For
- Enforcing consistent error handling practices across large Go codebases to prevent silent failures.
- Integrating into CI/CD pipelines to automatically catch unhandled errors before deployment.
- Checking vendored dependencies or code with custom build tags using its build-aware scanning.
- Teams adopting static analysis toolchains via its go/analysis Analyzer for seamless integration.
- Excluding specific functions or packages from error checks via configurable exclude files for tailored linting.
- Identifying ignored type assertion results or blank identifier assignments with optional flag-based checks.
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring deep error flow analysis, such as tracking how errors are logged or propagated after assignment
- Codebases stuck on Go versions older than 1.22, as errcheck requires a minimum of Go 1.22
- Teams preferring all-in-one static analysis suites with auto-fix capabilities, since errcheck only reports issues
- Environments where error handling is already enforced through custom linters or frameworks, making errcheck redundant
Pros & Cons
Pros
Specializes in identifying silently ignored errors by ensuring all returned errors are assigned or discarded, as core to its design for preventing bugs early.
Supports configurable exclude files with detailed formats for ignoring specific functions or packages, allowing tailored checks without overcomplicating analysis.
Respects custom build tags via the -tags flag, ensuring accurate scanning across different build configurations, similar to go build.
Provides an Analyzer instance for the go/analysis API, enabling seamless integration with larger static analysis toolchains for modular use.
Cons
Only checks for error assignment, not further analysis on assigned errors like proper handling or logging, as admitted in the README, requiring complementary tools for deeper insights.
The -ignore flag method is deprecated, which can confuse users and necessitate migration to the newer exclude file system, adding maintenance overhead.
Setting up and managing exclude files with specific syntax adds complexity, especially for large codebases, without built-in automation or smart defaults.
Frequently Asked Questions
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