failed to locate cmd/compile for target platform

Error message

failed to locate cmd/compile for target platform

What it means

Returned by go_android_exec when `go list -f {{.Target}} cmd/compile` resolves to a relative '.' path, meaning the cross-target compiler binary was not installed. The tool needs the platform's compile binary at pkg/tool/<goos>_<goarch>/ to push to the device; absence makes the relative path collapse to '.'.

Source

Thrown at misc/go_android_exec/main.go:454

	// Copy only the relevant subdirectories from pkg: pkg/include and the
	// platform-native binaries in pkg/tool.
	if err := adb("exec-out", "mkdir", "-p", path.Join(deviceGoroot, "pkg", "tool")); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if err := adb("push", filepath.Join(goroot, "pkg", "include"), path.Join(deviceGoroot, "pkg", "include")); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	cmd = exec.Command(goTool, "list", "-f", "{{.Target}}", "cmd/compile")
	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
	out, err = cmd.Output()
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("%v: %w", cmd, err)
	}
	platformToolDir := filepath.Dir(string(bytes.TrimSpace(out)))
	if platformToolDir == "." {
		return errors.New("failed to locate cmd/compile for target platform")
	}
	relToolDir, err := filepath.Rel(filepath.Join(goroot), platformToolDir)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if err := adb("push", platformToolDir, path.Join(deviceGoroot, relToolDir)); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	// Copy all other files from GOROOT.
	dirents, err := os.ReadDir(goroot)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	for _, de := range dirents {
		switch de.Name() {
		case "bin", "pkg":
			// We already created GOROOT/bin and GOROOT/pkg above; skip those.

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

Install the cross compiler: GOOS=android GOARCH=arm64 go install cmd/compile cmd/go.
Verify: GOOS=android GOARCH=arm64 go list -f {{.Target}} cmd/compile must print an absolute path ending in pkg/tool/android_arm64.
Ensure GOROOT/pkg/tool contains the android_<goarch> subdirectory; if not, run a full `go install std cmd` for the target.
Confirm GOOS/GOARCH are exported in the shell that runs go_android_exec.

Example fix

# before
GOOS=android GOARCH=arm64 go run misc/go_android_exec/main.go ... # throws

# after
GOOS=android GOARCH=arm64 go install cmd/compile
ls "$(go env GOROOT)/pkg/tool/android_arm64/compile" # sanity check
GOOS=android GOARCH=arm64 go run misc/go_android_exec/main.go ...

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

out, err := exec.Command("go", "list", "-f", "{{.Target}}", "cmd/compile").Output()
if err != nil { log.Fatal(err) }
if dir := filepath.Dir(strings.TrimSpace(string(out))); dir == "." {
  log.Fatal("run: GOOS=android GOARCH=<arch> go install cmd/compile first")
}

Prevention

Install the cross compiler: GOOS=android GOARCH=<arch> go install cmd/compile cmd/go.
Confirm GOROOT/pkg/tool/<goos>_<goarch>/compile exists before running go_android_exec.
Keep GOOS/GOARCH exported in the invoking shell.

When it happens

Trigger: Running go_android_exec without `go install cmd/compile` for the android target; GOROOT/pkg/tool trimmed or never populated for android; GOOS/GOARCH unset so go list resolves the host compile whose filepath.Rel yields '.'.

Common situations: Fresh CI runners that only built host toolchain; partial `go install` that built cmd/go but not cmd/compile; manually stripped GOROOT/pkg/tool; switching GOARCH mid-build.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cbabc688f5d808e8. Report an issue: GitHub.