How to Install GoLand on Ubuntu

GoLand is a dedicated integrated development environment (IDE) for Go (Golang) programming, built by JetBrains. If you write Go code for web services, CLI tools, cloud infrastructure, or microservices, then GoLand provides smart code completion, refactoring tools, an integrated debugger, and built-in support for testing frameworks. By the end of this guide, you will have GoLand installed on your Ubuntu system using your preferred method, verified and ready for your first Go project.

Choose Your GoLand Installation Method

Ubuntu offers three reliable ways to install GoLand, and each method has different trade-offs for updates, system integration, and maintenance. If you also work with Python, you may find our PyCharm installation guide for Ubuntu helpful, as both IDEs share similar installation methods. The table below summarizes your GoLand options:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic (daily refresh)	Most users; pre-installed on Ubuntu, automatic updates
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Manual or automatic via GNOME Software	Users who prefer sandboxed applications
Community APT Repository	Jonas Groeger GitHub	Latest stable	Via apt upgrade	Users who prefer APT-managed packages

For most users, the Snap method is recommended because Ubuntu includes Snap by default, updates happen automatically in the background, and installation requires just one command. Alternatively, the community APT repository is a good choice if you prefer traditional package management, while Flatpak offers the strongest application sandboxing.

These instructions cover Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 26.04 LTS. Importantly, all three installation methods work identically across supported LTS releases. Also, note that GoLand requires a JetBrains license after the 30-day evaluation period.

Method 1: Install GoLand via Snap (Recommended)

Snap is Ubuntu’s default universal package format, maintained by Canonical. Since Ubuntu 18.04, Snap comes pre-installed on standard desktop and server images, so this method provides automatic background updates and requires minimal setup.

Verify Snap Availability

First, confirm that Snap is available on your system. Standard Ubuntu installations include it by default, but minimal images, WSL environments, or containers may require installation:

snap version

When Snap is installed, you will see version information similar to:

snap    2.68
snapd   2.68
series  16
ubuntu  26.04
kernel  6.14.0-15-generic

Otherwise, if Snap is missing, install it with:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd -y

Install GoLand

Next, install GoLand using the --classic flag. Classic confinement allows GoLand to access your file system and development tools like Go compilers, Git, and terminal emulators, which is essential for a development environment:

sudo snap install goland --classic

Since the download is approximately 1 GB, it may take a few minutes. Once complete, you will see confirmation output:

goland 2025.3 from JetBrains✓ installed

Verify Installation

Finally, confirm the installation by checking the installed Snap packages:

snap list goland

You should see output showing the installed version:

Name    Version  Rev   Tracking       Publisher   Notes
goland  2025.3   385   latest/stable  jetbrains✓  classic

Snap automatically updates GoLand in the background, so you typically don’t need to do anything. However, you can also trigger a manual refresh anytime with sudo snap refresh goland.

Method 2: Install GoLand via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak provides strong application sandboxing, isolating GoLand from the rest of your system. As a result, this method works across Linux distributions and offers consistent behavior regardless of your base system. However, Flatpak is not installed by default on Ubuntu.

Install Flatpak

If Flatpak is not already installed on your system, then add it along with the Flathub repository. For detailed setup instructions, see our guide on installing Flatpak on Ubuntu. Alternatively, run these commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install flatpak -y
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Importantly, after adding Flathub for the first time, restart your system or log out and back in to ensure the Flatpak integration works correctly with your desktop environment.

Install GoLand from Flathub

Once Flatpak and Flathub are configured, install GoLand with:

sudo flatpak install flathub com.jetbrains.GoLand -y

During this process, Flatpak will download GoLand and any required runtime dependencies. The first installation may take several minutes depending on your connection speed.

Verify Installation

After installation, confirm GoLand appears in your Flatpak application list:

flatpak list | grep -i goland

You should see output similar to:

GoLand	com.jetbrains.GoLand	2025.3	stable	system

Later, if you need to update the Flatpak version, run sudo flatpak update com.jetbrains.GoLand.

Method 3: Install GoLand via Community APT Repository

Jonas Groeger maintains an unofficial but well-maintained APT repository that packages JetBrains IDEs for Debian and Ubuntu. As a result, this method integrates with your system’s package manager, allowing updates through apt upgrade. Additionally, the repository is hosted on AWS S3 and automatically updated via GitHub Actions.

This is a community-maintained repository, not an official JetBrains product. While actively updated and widely used, it is not supported by JetBrains. Therefore, for official installation methods, consider the Snap package published directly by JetBrains or download from jetbrains.com.

Update Package Index

Before adding a new repository, refresh your package index to ensure your system has current package metadata:

sudo apt update

Install Prerequisites

Next, install the packages required to download and verify the repository signing key:

sudo apt install curl ca-certificates -y

Here, the curl command fetches files from remote URLs, while ca-certificates provides the root certificates needed for secure HTTPS connections. For more curl examples and options, see our dedicated guide.

Import the Repository GPG Key

Now, download and convert the repository’s GPG signing key. This key verifies that packages genuinely come from the Jonas Groeger repository:

curl -fsSL https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/jetbrains-ppa/0xA6E8698A.pub.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/jetbrains-ppa-archive-keyring.gpg

In this command, the -fsSL flags make curl fail silently on HTTP errors (-f), suppress progress output (-s), show errors if they occur (-S), and follow redirects (-L). Meanwhile, the gpg --dearmor command converts the ASCII-armored key to the binary format that APT requires.

Add the Repository

Next, create a repository configuration file in the modern DEB822 format. This format is clearer and more maintainable than legacy .list files:

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jetbrains-ppa.sources
Types: deb
URIs: http://jetbrains-ppa.s3-website.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com
Suites: any
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/jetbrains-ppa-archive-keyring.gpg
EOF

Refresh Package Index

After adding the repository, update APT to fetch the new package list:

sudo apt update

Then, confirm the repository is working by checking the available GoLand version:

apt-cache policy goland

You should see output showing the repository as the package source:

goland:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2025.3
  Version table:
     2025.3 500
        500 http://jetbrains-ppa.s3-website.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com any/main amd64 Packages

Install GoLand

Now, with the repository configured, install GoLand:

sudo apt install goland -y

During installation, APT will download GoLand along with any required dependencies. The package size is approximately 800 MB.

Launch GoLand

After installation completes, you can launch GoLand either through your desktop environment or from the terminal. The method you choose depends on your preference and how you installed the application.

Launch from Applications Menu

Typically, the easiest way to start GoLand is through your desktop environment:

• Click the Activities button (top-left corner) or press the Super key
• Type “GoLand” in the search bar
• Click the GoLand icon to launch the IDE

Launch from Terminal

Alternatively, you can start GoLand from the command line. The command differs based on your installation method:

Snap installation:

goland

Flatpak installation:

flatpak run com.jetbrains.GoLand

APT installation:

goland

When you first launch GoLand, it will ask you to accept the license agreement and optionally import settings from a previous installation. The 30-day evaluation begins when you first run the IDE.

Update GoLand

Keeping GoLand updated ensures you have the latest features, bug fixes, and security patches. Therefore, the exact update process depends on your installation method.

Update Snap Installation

Since Snap packages update automatically in the background, typically checking for updates four times daily, you usually do not need to do anything. However, to manually trigger an update:

sudo snap refresh goland

Update Flatpak Installation

For Flatpak installations, run the following command to check for updates:

sudo flatpak update com.jetbrains.GoLand

Update APT Installation

When using the community APT repository, you can update GoLand alongside your other system packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade goland

In this command, the --only-upgrade flag updates GoLand only if an update is available, without installing it if missing.

Troubleshoot Common Issues

If you encounter problems with GoLand, the following solutions address the most common issues.

GoLand Cannot Find Go SDK

GoLand requires a Go SDK to compile and run your code. If the IDE shows “No SDK” warnings, then you need to install Go and configure the SDK path.

To resolve this, install Go using APT:

sudo apt install golang-go -y

After installing Go, open GoLand and go to File → Settings → Go → GOROOT, then set the path to /usr/lib/go (or wherever Go is installed on your system).

Note that for Flatpak installations, the Go SDK path appears as /var/run/host/usr/lib/go because Flatpak mounts your root filesystem at /var/run/host.

Snap GoLand Cannot Access External Directories

Because of Snap’s confinement, GoLand may not be able to access files outside your home directory. If you store projects on a secondary drive or mounted network share, you may need to grant additional permissions:

sudo snap connect goland:removable-media

Running this command allows GoLand to access removable media and mounted drives.

Fonts Appear Blurry or Incorrect

JetBrains IDEs render fonts best with specific font packages installed. Therefore, if text appears blurry or poorly spaced, install additional fonts:

sudo apt install fonts-jetbrains-mono fonts-firacode -y

Once installed, restart GoLand and select your preferred font in File → Settings → Editor → Font.

Remove GoLand

If you later need to remove GoLand from your system, then follow the instructions below for your installation method.

Remove Snap Installation

To remove the Snap package, run:

sudo snap remove goland

Remove Flatpak Installation

For Flatpak, remove GoLand with:

sudo flatpak uninstall com.jetbrains.GoLand -y

Additionally, remove unused Flatpak runtimes to free disk space:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused -y

Remove APT Installation

To uninstall GoLand and remove any orphaned dependencies, run:

sudo apt remove goland -y
sudo apt autoremove -y

Additionally, if you no longer need the Jonas Groeger repository, remove the configuration files and refresh APT:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jetbrains-ppa.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/jetbrains-ppa-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo apt update

Remove User Configuration Data

The following commands will permanently delete your GoLand settings, project configurations, plugins, and cached data. Therefore, if you plan to reinstall GoLand later and want to keep your settings, skip this step or back up the directories first.

JetBrains stores GoLand user data in your home directory. To complete the cleanup, remove these directories:

rm -rf ~/.config/JetBrains/GoLand*
rm -rf ~/.local/share/JetBrains/GoLand*
rm -rf ~/.cache/JetBrains/GoLand*

Note that for Flatpak installations, user data is stored separately:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.jetbrains.GoLand

Conclusion

You have now successfully installed GoLand on Ubuntu using Snap, Flatpak, or the community APT repository. In particular, Snap offers the simplest approach with automatic updates from JetBrains directly, while Flatpak provides application isolation, and the APT repository integrates with traditional package management. With GoLand ready, you can create your first Go project, configure the SDK path to your Go installation, and take advantage of intelligent code completion, debugging, and testing features built specifically for Go development.