golang/go · error

import %q while compiling that package (import cycle)

Error message

import %q while compiling that package (import cycle)

What it means

Returned by the noder import resolver when an import path equals the package currently being compiled (base.Ctxt.Pkgpath). Importing yourself directly is a self-referential import cycle; the compiler rejects it outright before resolution proceeds.

Source

Thrown at src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/import.go:140

	return nil, errors.New("file not found")
}

// resolveImportPath resolves an import path as it appears in a Go
// source file to the package's full path.
func resolveImportPath(path string) (string, error) {
	// The package name main is no longer reserved,
	// but we reserve the import path "main" to identify
	// the main package, just as we reserve the import
	// path "math" to identify the standard math package.
	if path == "main" {
		return "", errors.New("cannot import \"main\"")
	}

	if base.Ctxt.Pkgpath == "" {
		panic("missing pkgpath")
	}
	if path == base.Ctxt.Pkgpath {
		return "", fmt.Errorf("import %q while compiling that package (import cycle)", path)
	}

	if mapped, ok := base.Flag.Cfg.ImportMap[path]; ok {
		path = mapped
	}

	if islocalname(path) {
		if path[0] == '/' {
			return "", errors.New("import path cannot be absolute path")
		}

		prefix := base.Flag.D
		if prefix == "" {
			// Questionable, but when -D isn't specified, historically we
			// resolve local import paths relative to the directory the
			// compiler's current directory, not the respective source
			// file's directory.
			prefix = base.Ctxt.Pathname

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

1. Remove the import statement that imports the package you are currently compiling; refer to its declarations directly instead.
2. If you intended to import a subpackage, use the full subpackage path (example.com/foo/sub) rather than the parent path.
3. Run goimports/gofmt to clean stray self-imports.

Example fix

// before (file lives in package example.com/foo)
 import (
   "example.com/foo"
 )
// after
 // (remove the self-import; use local declarations)

// Lint for self-imports before compiling.
for _, im := range file.Imports {
    if im.Path.Value == fmt.Sprintf("%q", pkgPath) {
        return fmt.Errorf("file in %s imports itself", pkgPath)
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: A Go source file in package P contains an import statement whose path is exactly P (e.g. a file in package example.com/foo with import "example.com/foo"). The check path == base.Ctxt.Pkgpath fires.

Common situations: Accidental self-import while refactoring; tooling that auto-inserts imports; a package whose import path was renamed/restructured and source files still reference the old path that now resolves to itself.

Related errors

• can only use path@version syntax with 'go get' and 'go insta
• mixing of meta and non-meta packages is not allowed
• %s: %v
• import %q: %v
• marshal error %v

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2446c1c1386647cf. Report an issue: GitHub.