How to Fix missing go.sum entry for module providing package

The error missing go.sum entry for module providing package occurs in Golang when your go.mod file does not match the source code in your module. You must update the go.mod file with the dependencies you use in your code.

The error can occur for a variety of reasons, but it essentially means that the Go tools are unable to find a specific package or module version in the go.sum file.

To fix the missing go.sum entry for module providing package error, run the “go mod tidy” command. The go mod tidy command goes through the go.mod file to resolve dependencies like:

1. Delete the packages that are not needed
   
2. Download those needed
   
3. Update the go.sum

The go mod tidy command ensures that the go.mod file matches the source code in the module. It adds any missing module requirements necessary to build the current module’s packages and dependencies

The go mod tidy command removes requirements on modules that don’t provide relevant packages, adds missing entries to go.sum, and removes unnecessary entries.

Here are some other common reasons for this error and steps to resolve them:

Missing Dependencies

If you have just cloned a repository or checked out a different branch, there might be changes in the dependencies.

Solution: Run go mod tidy to ensure all the dependencies are correctly listed in the go.mod and go.sum files.

Corrupted go.sum

The go.sum file might be corrupted or may not match the dependencies listed in go.mod.

Solution: You can try deleting the go.sum file and then running go mod tidy to regenerate it.

Private Repositories

If the package is in a private repository, ensure you have correctly configured your version control system (like Git) to access private repositories.

For GitHub, you might want to check that you have set up authentication correctly. Tools like gh (GitHub CLI) can help in authenticating.

Network Issues

It might be a temporary network issue preventing Go from fetching the required package.

Solution: Retry after some time. Make sure you have a stable internet connection.

Proxy Settings

If you are using a proxy, make sure it’s correctly configured. GOPROXY is the environment variable that determines how Go fetches modules.

Solution: Check the GOPROXY setting and ensure it’s correctly configured.

Using the Latest Version

Sometimes, using an older version of Go can lead to issues with certain packages or modules.

Solution: Update Go to the latest version.

Package No Longer Available

It’s also possible that the package or the specific version you are trying to fetch is no longer available.

Solution: Check the source of the package to ensure it’s still available. You might need to update your dependencies or find an alternative package.

Mismatched Module Paths

The package’s module path might have changed, especially if it’s a fork or if the owner has changed the module path.

Solution: Update the import paths in your code and go.mod file to the correct path.

Another solution: Run run go get command for each missing package, as the error message suggests.

That’s it!