golangci/golangci-lint · error

checker config param doesn't exist: checker doesn't have…

Error message

checker %s config param %s doesn't exist: checker doesn't have params

What it means

gocritic's settings wrapper applies user config params (settings.gocritic.settings.<checker>) to each enabled checker. If a key targets a checker that has no parameters at all (info.Params is empty), setCheckerParams returns this error, telling you that checker simply accepts no config.

Solutions

1. Remove the settings block for that checker — it accepts no parameters
2. Verify parameterizable checkers (e.g. paramTypeCombine, hugeParam, rangeValCopy, truncateCmp) and move your settings to one of those
3. Check the gocritic checker docs (go-critic.com) for which checkers have params
4. Fix the checker key spelling if you meant a different, parameterized checker

Example fix

# before
linters-settings:
  gocritic:
    settings:
      nilValReturn:
        style: strict
# after (nilValReturn has no params) — remove the block
linters-settings:
  gocritic:
    settings: {}

// Only add gocritic settings blocks for checkers known to accept params:
parameterless := map[string]bool{"nilValReturn": true, "sloppyLen": true /* verify per gocritic docs */}
for checker := range cfg.Gocritic.Settings {
    if parameterless[checker] {
        return fmt.Errorf("gocritic checker %q accepts no settings; remove the block", checker)
    }
}

if err := golangci.Run(); err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "doesn't have params") {
        fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "remove the gocritic.settings block for that checker — it takes no params")
        os.Exit(1)
    }
    return err
}

When it happens

Trigger: A .golangci.yml gocritic.settings.<CheckerName> block (e.g. settings: {hugeParam: {...}} on a checker with no params) is applied in buildEnabledCheckers via setCheckerParams for a checker whose gocritic info has len(info.Params)==0.

Common situations: Assuming every gocritic checker is configurable; copying settings blocks for checkers that take none; misnamed checker keys landing on a parameterless checker.

Related errors

• check disabled and enabled at one moment
• checker config param doesn't exist, all existing
• disabled check doesn't exist, see documentation
• disabled tag doesn't exist, see 's documentation
• enabled check doesn't exist, see 's documentation

AI-assisted analysis of golangci/golangci-lint@ed7a235d2d (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1dfc2b76e8e7b873. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at pkg/golinters/gocritic/gocritic_settings.go:210

	allLowerCasedParams map[string]config.GoCriticCheckSettings,
) error {
	params := allLowerCasedParams[strings.ToLower(info.Name)]
	if params == nil { // no config for this checker
		return nil
	}

	// To lowercase info param keys here because golangci-lint's config parser lowercases all strings.
	infoParams := normalizeMap(info.Params)
	for k, p := range params {
		v, ok := infoParams[k]
		if ok {
			v.Value = s.normalizeCheckerParamsValue(p)
			continue
		}

		// param `k` isn't supported
		if len(info.Params) == 0 {
			return fmt.Errorf("checker %s config param %s doesn't exist: checker doesn't have params",
				info.Name, k)
		}

		return fmt.Errorf("checker %s config param %s doesn't exist, all existing: %s",
			info.Name, k, slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(info.Params)))
	}

	return nil
}

func (s *settingsWrapper) debugChecksInitialState() {
	if !isDebug {
		return
	}

	debugf("All gocritic existing tags and checks:")

	for _, tag := range s.allTagsSorted {

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