golangci/golangci-lint · error

configuration version is already set: %s

Error message

configuration version is already set: %s

What it means

The migrate command refuses to run when the loaded configuration already has a version set, i.e. it is not a plain v1 config. Migration targets unversioned/v1 configs; a config that already declares `version: "2"` (or similar) is not something migrate can convert. This check happens in `preRunE` after format validation.

Source

Thrown at pkg/commands/migrate.go:142

	}

	c.log.Infof("Migration done: %s", dstPath)

	callForAction(c.cmd)

	return nil
}

func (c *migrateCommand) preRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
	switch strings.ToLower(c.opts.format) {
	case "", "yml", "yaml", "toml", "json":
		// Valid format.
	default:
		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported format: %s", c.opts.format)
	}

	if c.cfg.Version != "" {
		return fmt.Errorf("configuration version is already set: %s", c.cfg.Version)
	}

	if c.opts.skipValidation {
		return nil
	}

	usedConfigFile := c.viper.ConfigFileUsed()
	if usedConfigFile == "" {
		c.log.Warnf("No config file detected")
		os.Exit(exitcodes.NoConfigFileDetected)
	}

	c.log.Infof("Validating v1 configuration file: %s", usedConfigFile)

	err := validateConfiguration(jsonsch.V1Schema, usedConfigFile)
	if err != nil {
		var v *jsonschema.ValidationError
		if !errors.As(err, &v) {

View on GitHub (pinned to ed7a235d2d)

Solutions

1. Don't migrate — the config is already versioned; use it as-is.
2. If you truly want a fresh migration, remove the `version:` line from the config file first (only if it is a v1-shaped config).
3. Restore the original v1 config from version control before running migrate.

Example fix

# before (.golangci.yml)
version: "2"
linters:
  enable: [govet]
# after (original v1 config)
linters:
  enable:
    - govet

// check the config for a version key before migrating
data, _ := os.ReadFile(".golangci.yml")
if strings.Contains(string(data), "version:") {
    return errors.New("config already declares a version; migration not needed")
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `golangci-lint migrate` against a config file that already contains a `version:` key (e.g. it was already migrated to v2), so `c.cfg.Version` is non-empty.

Common situations: Running migrate twice on the same repo; pointing migrate at a `.golangci.yml` already migrated by a teammate; a config template that ships with `version: "2"` already set.

Related errors

• can't load config: %w
• saving configuration file: %w
• unsupported format: %s
• can't load config: %w
• hash plugin directory: %w

AI-assisted analysis of golangci/golangci-lint@ed7a235d2d (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/62f5eafc1419d149. Report an issue: GitHub.