$Id: 327
$SOId: 28395
go get downloads the packages named by the import paths, along with their dependencies. It then installs the named packages, like ‘go install’. Get also accepts build flags to control the installation.
When checking out a new package, get creates the target directory $GOPATH/src/<import-path>. If the GOPATH contains multiple entries, get uses the first one. Similarly, it will install compiled binaries in $GOPATH/bin.
When checking out or updating a package, get looks for a branch or tag that matches the locally installed version of Go. The most important rule is that if the local installation is running version “go1”, get searches for a branch or tag named “go1”. If no such version exists it retrieves the most recent version of the package.
When using go get, the -d flag causes it to download but not install the given package. The -u flag will allow it to update the package and its dependencies.
Get never checks out or updates code stored in vendor directories.