Should I Commit My Go Project's Vendor Directory to Version Control?

Version Control of the vendor Directory in Go Development

When managing Go dependencies with the dep tool, developers face the decision of whether to commit the vendor directory into version control or execute dep ensure after checking out a repository.

To provide guidance on this matter, the dep tool's FAQ explicitly addresses the question:

Should I commit my vendor directory?

The FAQ acknowledges that the decision is ultimately up to the developer, but it outlines both the advantages and disadvantages of each approach:

Committing the vendor Directory:

• Pros:

  • Ensures truly reproducible builds by protecting against upstream changes and history rewrites.
  • Eliminates the need for dep ensure after most operations, including go get, cloning, and merging.

• Cons:

  • Increases repository size, which can become significant.
  • Adds vendor directory changes to PR diffs when Gopkg.lock is modified, although vendor files are hidden by default on GitHub.

Executing dep ensure after Checking Out:

• Pros:

  • Maintains a smaller repository size.
  • Automatically updates vendor on repository checkout, ensuring consistency.

• Cons:

  • Requires an additional build step after checking out a repository.
  • May result in vendor directory changes that are not visible in diffs.

Ultimately, the best practice depends on specific project requirements. Developers who prioritize reproducibility and avoid unnecessary build steps may opt to commit the vendor directory. However, those concerned about repository size and prefer to automate dependency synchronization may prefer executing dep ensure after checking out.

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