golang/go · error

working directory %q is not in either GOROOT(%q) or GOPATH(%

Error message

working directory %q is not in either GOROOT(%q) or GOPATH(%q)

What it means

Returned by the package-path resolver in go_ios_exec (go_ios_exec.go:295) when the current working directory is not nested under either runtime.GOROOT() or build.Default.GOPATH. The wrapper needs to derive the package's import path (subdir relative to GOROOT/GOPATH) to build and install the test app correctly.

Source

Thrown at misc/ios/go_ios_exec.go:295

			return "", false, err
		}
		return subdir, true, nil
	}

	for _, p := range filepath.SplitList(build.Default.GOPATH) {
		pabs, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(p)
		if err != nil {
			return "", false, err
		}
		if !strings.HasPrefix(cwd, pabs) {
			continue
		}
		subdir, err := filepath.Rel(pabs, cwd)
		if err == nil {
			return subdir, false, nil
		}
	}
	return "", false, fmt.Errorf(
		"working directory %q is not in either GOROOT(%q) or GOPATH(%q)",
		cwd,
		runtime.GOROOT(),
		build.Default.GOPATH,
	)
}

func infoPlist(pkgpath string) string {
	return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>CFBundleName</key><string>golang.gotest</string>
<key>CFBundleSupportedPlatforms</key><array><string>iPhoneOS</string></array>
<key>CFBundleExecutable</key><string>gotest</string>
<key>CFBundleVersion</key><string>1.0</string>
<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key><string>1.0</string>
<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key><string>` + bundleID + `</string>

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

1. Run from within the package directory of a module-aware project; ensure go_ios_exec supports module mode (newer versions derive the path from `go list`).
2. If relying on GOPATH mode, place the project under $GOPATH/src/<importpath> and run from there.
3. Resolve symlinks so cwd evaluates under GOROOT/GOPATH.
4. Upgrade go_ios_exec / the Go toolchain to a version that resolves package paths via `go list` rather than GOROOT/GOPATH prefixing.

func cwdUnderGorootOrGopath() error {
    cwd, _ := os.Getwd()
    gr := runtime.GOROOT()
    gp := build.Default.GOPATH
    for _, p := range []string{gr, gp} {
        if p == "" {
            continue
        }
        pa, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(p)
        if err == nil && strings.HasPrefix(cwd, pa) {
            return nil
        }
    }
    return fmt.Errorf("cwd %q not under GOROOT/GOPATH", cwd)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running go_ios_exec (i.e., `go test` with GOOS=ios) from a directory that is neither inside GOROOT/src nor inside any GOPATH workspace, in module-aware mode where the package path cannot be derived from the filesystem location.

Common situations: Module-mode project outside GOPATH (the most common modern setup) where the resolver's GOROOT/GOPATH heuristic does not apply; symlinks causing prefix checks to fail after EvalSymlinks; running from /tmp or a directory unrelated to the Go source tree.

Related errors

• xcrun simctl install booted %q: %v
• xcrun simctl launch booted %q: %v
• failed to locate cmd/go for target platform
• failed to locate cmd/compile for target platform
• GOROOT not found

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d31c9871662bc014. Report an issue: GitHub.