Debugging Go Applications in GoLand Using the Integrated Delve Debugger

Quick answer

In GoLand you can start a debugging session by creating a Go Application run/debug configuration, setting breakpoints, and clicking the Debug button. The IDE launches Delve, stops at breakpoints, and lets you inspect variables, evaluate expressions, and view goroutine stacks.

Worked example: configuring and launching a debug session

1. Open Run → Edit Configurations….
2. Click the + button and choose Go Application.
3. Set Name to debug-myapp.
4. In Package path browse to the directory containing your main.go (or type the module path, e.g., example.com/myapp/cmd).
5. Ensure Build is checked so GoLand compiles before launching.
6. Optionally add program arguments in Program arguments or environment variables via Environment variables.
7. Click Apply and OK.
8. Open main.go, click in the gutter to set a breakpoint (red dot).
9. Press the Debug toolbar button (or Shift+F9).

GoLand builds the binary, starts Delve, and opens the Debug tool window. The thread list shows the main goroutine stopped at the breakpoint. In the Frames pane you can expand variables, and the Watches pane lets you add expressions like len(slice) or err != nil. The Evaluate Expression dialog (Alt+F8) lets you test arbitrary Go expressions in the current scope.

Limits and common mistakes

• Delve version mismatch – GoLand bundles a Delve binary; if you manually change the Go SDK (e.g., to a newer Go version) without updating the bundled Delve, breakpoints may be ignored. Fix: open Settings → Go → Debugger and click Update to match the SDK.
• Remote debugging requires identical source layout and binary on the host. If you build locally and copy a different binary to the remote machine, Delve reports failed to find process. Ensure the remote build uses the same Go version and source tree.
• Complex conditional breakpoints (e.g., involving function calls or loops) can drastically slow execution because Delve re‑evaluates the condition on every step. Keep conditions simple or replace them with logging.
• When using Go modules, forgetting to set the correct GOROOT in Settings → Go → GOROOT can cause the IDE to use the wrong standard library, leading to cannot find package errors during build.
• Neglecting to enable the Build option forces GoLand to launch an outdated binary; changes to source code are not reflected, making breakpoints appear on wrong lines.

Verification checklist

• After starting a debug session, the Debug tool window should show a thread in Stopped state and the Frames pane should list the current file and line.
• Hover over a variable in the editor or check the Variables pane to see its runtime value.
• Open Help → About → Plugins → GoLand → Go debugger to confirm the Delve version matches the one shown under Settings → Go → Debugger.
• Toggle a conditional breakpoint with a simple expression (e.g., i == 5) and verify execution stops only when the condition holds.