What causes "no such package: %s" in golang/go?

Verify the package path with `go list ./...` or `go list -m all`.

no such package: %s

Error message

no such package: %s

What it means

Returned by the `go doc` argument loop when parseArgs returns a nil buildPackage for the requested path. The package could not be located/resolved at all, so there is nothing to document. Triggered after the loop's first iteration regardless of the 'more' bit, since a nil package with no further candidates is a dead end.

Source

Thrown at src/cmd/go/internal/doc/doc.go:255

			return doPkgsite(ctx, "std", "")
		}

		// If args are provided, we need to figure out which page to open on the pkgsite
		// instance. Run the logic below to determine a match for a symbol, method,
		// or field, but don't actually print the documentation to the output.
		writer = io.Discard
	}
	var paths []string
	var symbol, method string
	// Loop until something is printed.
	dirs.Reset()
	for i := 0; ; i++ {
		buildPackage, userPath, sym, more := parseArgs(ctx, flagSet, flagSet.Args())
		if i > 0 && !more { // Ignore the "more" bit on the first iteration.
			return failMessage(paths, symbol, method)
		}
		if buildPackage == nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("no such package: %s", userPath)
		}

		// The builtin package needs special treatment: its symbols are lower
		// case but we want to see them, always.
		if buildPackage.ImportPath == "builtin" {
			unexported = true
		}

		symbol, method = parseSymbol(flagSet, sym)
		pkg := parsePackage(writer, buildPackage, userPath)
		paths = append(paths, pkg.prettyPath())

		defer func() {
			pkg.flush()
			e := recover()
			if e == nil {
				return
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

Verify the package path with `go list ./...` or `go list -m all`.
Run `go mod tidy` to ensure dependencies are present.
Check build tags/GOOS/GOARCH if the package is platform-specific.
Correct typos in the import path.

Example fix

# before
$ go doc exampl.com/foobar   # typo
# -> no such package: exampl.com/foobar

# after
$ go doc example.com/foobar

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// confirm the package resolves before invoking doc
if out, err := exec.Command("go", "list", userPath).CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("package does not resolve: %s", out)
}

Try / catch

if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no such package") {
    // suggest `go list ./...` matches and retry
}

Prevention

Run `go list ./...` to discover valid paths first.
Keep `go mod tidy` current so paths resolve.
Watch build tags for platform-specific packages.

When it happens

Trigger: Running `go doc <path>` where <path> does not resolve to any importable package — typo, nonexistent module path, package behind a build constraint that excludes the current tags, or a path that only matches directories but not a package.

Common situations: Typo'd import path; package behind GOOS/GOARCH or build tags not active; missing dependency (`go mod tidy` needed); pointing at a directory with no .go files.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fa8d9458dcc7e2e2. Report an issue: GitHub.