<!--
.. title: GOPROXY and GOPRIVATE
.. slug: goproxy-and-goprivate
.. date: 2022-11-03 20:36:26 UTC
.. updated: 2023-05-04 01:13:22 UTC
.. tags: artifactory, go, python
.. category:
.. link:
.. description:
.. type: text
-->

We need to use GOPROXY and/or GOPRIVATE when working with private-only Go
modules or a mix of private and public modules.

<!-- TEASER_END: Read more -->

GOPROXY was [introduced](https://jfrog.com/blog/why-goproxy-matters-and-which-to-pick/)
in version 1.3. It proxies Go modules from different version control systems
(VCS) and caches them. [Artifactory](https://jfrog.com/artifactory/) can be
one such private proxy and [GoProxy](https://goproxy.io/) is the default public
proxy.

Since in my day job I have to use Artifactory in different companies that's
what I can describe.

Find out the name of the Go modules virtual repository that your instance of
Artifactory uses. It could be something like _go-virtual_. Ask the
administrators of your Artifactory instance.

Set the environment variable GOPROXY. Change the value according to your
environment.

    $ export GOPROXY=https://your.artifactory.tld/artifactory/api/go/your-go-virtual-repo

Now when you use `go get` you should see the Artifactory proxy being used
(hint: use `go get -x`).

    $ go get -x github.com/antlr/antlr4/runtime/Go/antlr/v4

In case there are issues with proxy.golang.org like
[widespread not found: fetch timed out](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/57185)
and [QOS very bad in Australia](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/57188) you
will want to turn off the proxying altogether. Set GOPROXY to _direct_ and
GOSUMDB to _off_.

    $ GOPROXY=direct GOSUMDB=off go get -x github.com/antlr/antlr4/runtime/Go/antlr/v4

You can also set multiple proxies in the environment variable separated by a
comma (including _direct_).

    $ export GOPROXY=https://your.artifactory.tld/artifactory/api/go/your-go-virtual-repo,direct

GOPRIVATE is used when you have some private modules and want to bypass the
public proxy for them. For everything public you will use the proxy. I have
written about it before in [GitLab and go get](link://slug/gitlab-and-go-get).

I don't know if or how it will work but you could skip GOPRIVATE and only use
a private GOPROXY on Artifactory that proxies your private git repositories. I
have not seen that implemented in a few places I worked at so I always needed
to use both.

If you use Python and PyPI, Artifactory can also proxy and cache PyPI. Ask your
administrators to configure it for you. Either use the `--index-url` or
`--extra-index-url` flags in `pip` to use it or you can set their corresponding
environment variables PIP_INDEX_URL and PIP_EXTRA_INDEX_URL.

Artifactory will need to be configured with a virtual repository pointing to
PyPI which you will use by setting the environment variable. Notice _/simple_
in the url.

    $ export PIP_INDEX_URL=https://your.artifactory.tld/artifactory/api/pypi/your-pypi-virtual-repo/simple

Now when you use `pip` it will use the Artifactory proxy/cache.

    $ python3.11 -m pip install --user black
    or if you didn't set the environment variable
    $ python3.11 -m pip install --user --index-url https://your.artifactory.tld/artifactory/api/pypi/your-pypi-virtual-repo/simple black