golang/go · error

import path does not begin with hostname

Error message

import path does not begin with hostname

What it means

urlForImportPath splits an import path at the first `/`; the first segment is treated as the host and must contain a dot (look like a domain). If it doesn't, the path is rejected because module discovery needs a real hostname to query.

Source

Thrown at src/cmd/go/internal/vcs/vcs.go:979

		}

		return httpURL, true
	}
	return "", false
}

// urlForImportPath returns a partially-populated URL for the given Go import path.
//
// The URL leaves the Scheme field blank so that web.Get will try any scheme
// allowed by the selected security mode.
func urlForImportPath(importPath string) (*urlpkg.URL, error) {
	slash := strings.Index(importPath, "/")
	if slash < 0 {
		slash = len(importPath)
	}
	host, path := importPath[:slash], importPath[slash:]
	if !strings.Contains(host, ".") {
		return nil, errors.New("import path does not begin with hostname")
	}
	if len(path) == 0 {
		path = "/"
	}
	return &urlpkg.URL{Host: host, Path: path, RawQuery: "go-get=1"}, nil
}

// repoRootForImportDynamic finds a *RepoRoot for a custom domain that's not
// statically known by repoRootFromVCSPaths.
//
// This handles custom import paths like "name.tld/pkg/foo" or just "name.tld".
func repoRootForImportDynamic(importPath string, mod ModuleMode, security web.SecurityMode) (*RepoRoot, error) {
	url, err := urlForImportPath(importPath)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}
	resp, err := web.Get(security, url)
	if err != nil {

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

1. Provide a complete import path beginning with a hostname (e.g. github.com/user/repo).
2. For local code, use a replace directive or a properly rooted module path.

Example fix

# before
$ go get foo

# after
$ go get github.com/user/foo

// Reject import paths whose first segment has no dot.
func looksLikeHostPath(p string) error {
    host := p
    if i := strings.Index(p, "/"); i >= 0 { host = p[:i] }
    if !strings.Contains(host, ".") { return errors.New("path must begin with a hostname") }
    return nil
}

null

null

When it happens

Trigger: `go get`/import of a path whose first segment has no dot, e.g. `go get foo` or `import "foo"`.

Common situations: Typos; forgotten domain prefix; trying to use a bare local name as a remote module.

Related errors

• leading slash
• leading hyphen
• no scheme
• file scheme disallowed
• value is neither 'auto' nor a valid bool

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0436cd62bb29b2fd. Report an issue: GitHub.