Golang - Building Executables for Different Architectures

arch.md

Golang - Building Executables for Different Architectures

env GOOS=target-OS GOARCH=target-architecture go build package-import-path

# Example
env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build
env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build main.go
env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build github.com/zoo/york/foo/bar

# Raspberry pi
env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm GOARM=5 go build

GOOS - Target Operating System	GOARCH - Target Platform
android	arm
darwin	386
darwin	amd64
darwin	arm
darwin	arm64
dragonfly	amd64
freebsd	386
freebsd	amd64
freebsd	arm
linux	386
linux	amd64
linux	arm
linux	arm64
linux	ppc64
linux	ppc64le
linux	mips
linux	mipsle
linux	mips64
linux	mips64le
netbsd	386
netbsd	amd64
netbsd	arm
openbsd	386
openbsd	amd64
openbsd	arm
plan9	386
plan9	amd64
solaris	amd64
windows	386
windows	amd64

Can you explain in detail how this is possible? And why can't this be done in other languages? In other languages, the assembly for each system must be compiled within that system, but not on other systems. Simply put, how did the Compiler achieve cross-platform functionality?

Go achieves cross-compilation primarily through its compiler and standard library design, enabling developers to easily build executables for different operating systems and architectures from a single source code. The key aspects that facilitate this capability in Go are:

1. Platform-Agnostic Standard Library: Go's standard library is designed to work across different platforms, using conditional compilation to select the appropriate implementation for the target OS and architecture.

2. Compiler Design: The Go compiler supports generating machine code for various target platforms directly from any supported host platform. This is achieved by abstracting target-specific details and including support for multiple architectures within the compiler.

3. Environment Variables: Go uses environment variables (GOOS for the operating system and GOARCH for the architecture) to specify the compilation target, making it straightforward to cross-compile without modifying the source code.

4. Simplified Dependency Management: Go's module system simplifies managing dependencies for different platforms, aiding in the cross-compilation process.

The reason this isn't as straightforward in many other programming languages is due to factors like the lack of a unified compiler capable of targeting multiple platforms, reliance on platform-specific libraries or system calls that require different code paths for different operating systems and more complex dependency management when dealing with cross-platform libraries. Additionally, the toolchain and build processes in other languages might not be as streamlined for cross-compilation, requiring additional tools or configurations to achieve similar outcomes.