golangci-lint-strict

Expert guidance for setting up powerman/golangci-lint-strict in Go projects with exact version pinning and no config modifications.

Why strict mode

• It provides a strong baseline for new Go projects by enabling a broad set of linters and rules curated for practical use.
• It helps catch correctness, API, error-handling, and maintainability issues early in local development and CI.
• Using the upstream config unchanged reduces local drift and makes lint behavior easier to reproduce across developers and agents.
• Pinning the upstream version to the installed golangci-lint version avoids silent incompatibilities caused by config schema changes.

When to trigger

• The user asks for a strict golangci-lint configuration.
• The user mentions powerman/golangci-lint-strict.
• The task is to install or pin a versioned .golangci.yml from upstream without customizing it.

Core rules

• Use the upstream repository powerman/golangci-lint-strict as the source of truth.
• Fetch the exact versioned file from VERSION/.golangci.yml and keep it unchanged.
• Do not merge, rewrite, or "adapt" the strict config. If customization is needed, place overrides in a separate file or get explicit approval.
• Prefer an exact config version matching the installed golangci-lint version. If no exact upstream version exists, stop and ask which supported version to use.
• Prefer immutable upstream refs (commit SHA) for reproducible fetches. The bundled installer defaults to the snapshot commit in references/versions-snapshot.md.
• Use the standard config filename .golangci.yml unless the user explicitly asks for another path.
• Always ask before overwriting any existing config file (especially .golangci.yml).
• Never overwrite automatically, even if the user asked for the standard filename; confirm first, then replace only after approval.
• Verify the downloaded file header includes the expected upstream version marker (the generated strict config contains an Origin comment).

Workflow

1. Determine target version
   • Use the user-provided golangci-lint version if given.
   • Otherwise detect it locally (golangci-lint version) and extract the semantic version.
   • Cross-check against the known upstream version directories (see references/versions-snapshot.md).
2. Choose destination path
   • Default to the standard filename .golangci.yml.
   • If .golangci.yml (or the chosen destination file) already exists, stop and ask before replacing it.
3. Fetch exact config unchanged
   • Prefer the helper script in assets/install-strict-config.sh; it uses an immutable upstream snapshot commit by default and verifies the Origin header line.
   • If you intentionally need a newer upstream state, re-check upstream first and only then use UPSTREAM_REF=main explicitly.
   • Or use a direct raw URL download from an immutable commit SHA.
4. Verify
   • Confirm the # Origin: header line references the expected version.
   • Do not edit the file after download.
5. Overwrite flow (only after explicit confirmation)
   • Back up the existing file (for example, mv .golangci.yml .golangci.yml.bak).
   • Re-run the installer to write the new .golangci.yml.
   • State clearly that the previous config was backed up and the new file was installed unchanged.
6. Wire usage
   • If installed as .golangci.yml, golangci-lint run will use it automatically.
   • If the user requested a non-default path, run golangci-lint run -c <path>.

Installation procedure (agent execution)

1. Detect or confirm golangci-lint version
   • Prefer the user's requested version.
   • Otherwise run golangci-lint version and extract the semantic version.
2. Check existing config
   • If destination .golangci.yml exists, stop and ask for overwrite approval.
3. Install strict config
   • Use the bundled installer from the activated skill directory:
   • bash "<skill-dir>/assets/install-strict-config.sh" <VERSION> .golangci.yml
4. If overwrite was approved
   • Back up the old config first (for example, mv .golangci.yml .golangci.yml.bak).
   • Re-run the installer command.
5. Verify + run
   • Confirm the # Origin: header line matches <VERSION>.
   • Run golangci-lint run ./...

Commands (default examples)

• Install exact version using the standard config filename (agent resolves the activated skill directory path):
  • bash "<skill-dir>/assets/install-strict-config.sh" 2.10.1 .golangci.yml
• Run lint (auto-detects .golangci.yml):
  • golangci-lint run ./...
• After explicit overwrite approval (example backup + replace):
  • mv .golangci.yml .golangci.yml.bak
  • bash "<skill-dir>/assets/install-strict-config.sh" 2.10.1 .golangci.yml

Output expectations

• Provide the exact fetch command/script invocation and the selected upstream version.
• Explicitly state that the config was installed as .golangci.yml (or note the custom path if the user requested one).
• If an existing config was detected, explicitly note that you paused for overwrite confirmation before replacing it.
• Call out when the requested version is unavailable upstream and list supported alternatives instead of improvising.

References

• Upstream version snapshot and URL patterns: references/versions-snapshot.md
• Latest local reference copy (snapshot, not auto-updating): references/latest-2.10.1.golangci.yml