Various problems when running tests

Hi,

I have tried to run tests and did not have much luck with it. Few problems are documented below.

How to run tests?

It is not clear how to run them (this is very much skill issue on my part). Usual go test -v gives

go test -v .
go: cannot find main module, but found .git/config in /tmp/errors
	to create a module there, run:
	go mod init

I do not have experience with pre-modules golang, so I am sure there is a way, but would be nice to have it written somewhere. In the end I just followed the instructions and did:

go mod init github.com/pkg/errors
go mod tidy

vet complains

$ go test -v .
# github.com/pkg/errors
# [github.com/pkg/errors]
./errors_test.go:128:24: non-constant format string in call to github.com/pkg/errors.Wrapf
./errors_test.go:220:31: non-constant format string in call to github.com/pkg/errors.WithMessagef
FAIL	github.com/pkg/errors [build failed]
FAIL

So to have the tests pass, one needs to run them with -vet off.

test failures

Some tests just fail:

$ go test -v -vet off .
=== RUN   TestNew
--- PASS: TestNew (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWrapNil
--- PASS: TestWrapNil (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWrap
--- PASS: TestWrap (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestCause
--- PASS: TestCause (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWrapfNil
--- PASS: TestWrapfNil (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWrapf
--- PASS: TestWrapf (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestErrorf
--- PASS: TestErrorf (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithStackNil
--- PASS: TestWithStackNil (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithStack
--- PASS: TestWithStack (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithMessageNil
--- PASS: TestWithMessageNil (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithMessage
--- PASS: TestWithMessage (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithMessagefNil
--- PASS: TestWithMessagefNil (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestWithMessagef
--- PASS: TestWithMessagef (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestErrorEquality
--- PASS: TestErrorEquality (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatNew
    format_test.go:38: test 3: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatNew\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:26\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatNew\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:26"
--- FAIL: TestFormatNew (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatErrorf
    format_test.go:64: test 3: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatErrorf\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:56\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatErrorf\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:56"
--- FAIL: TestFormatErrorf (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatWrap
    format_test.go:116: test 3: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:82\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771\nerror2\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:82\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:82"
    format_test.go:116: test 6: line 4: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "EOF\nerror\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:96\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "EOF\nerror\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:96"
    format_test.go:116: test 7: line 4: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "EOF\nerror1\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:103\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771\nerror2\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:103\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "EOF\nerror1\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrap\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:103\n"
--- FAIL: TestFormatWrap (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatWrapf
    format_test.go:157: test 3: line 4: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "EOF\nerror2\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrapf\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:134\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "EOF\nerror2\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrapf\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:134"
    format_test.go:157: test 6: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrapf\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:149\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771\nerror2\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrapf\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:149\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrapf\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:149"
--- FAIL: TestFormatWrapf (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatWithStack
    format_test.go:502: test 3: block 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
        got:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithStack\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:175\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithStack\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:175"
        all-got:
           EOF
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithStack
        	/tmp/errors/format_test.go:175
        testing.tRunner
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036
        runtime.goexit
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771
        all-want:
           EOF
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithStack
        	.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:175
--- FAIL: TestFormatWithStack (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatWithMessage
    format_test.go:502: test 3: block 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
        got:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithMessage\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:244\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithMessage\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:244"
        all-got:
           error
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithMessage
        	/tmp/errors/format_test.go:244
        testing.tRunner
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036
        runtime.goexit
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771
           error2
        all-want:
           error
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWithMessage
        	.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:244
           error2
--- FAIL: TestFormatWithMessage (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatGeneric
    format_test.go:502: test 1: block 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
        got:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatGeneric\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:315\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want:
        "github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatGeneric\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:315"
        all-got:
           new-error
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatGeneric
        	/tmp/errors/format_test.go:315
        testing.tRunner
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036
        runtime.goexit
        	/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771
        all-want:
           new-error
           github.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatGeneric
        	.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:315
--- FAIL: TestFormatGeneric (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFormatWrappedNew
    format_test.go:383: test 1: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.wrappedNew\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:364\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrappedNew\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:373\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.wrappedNew\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:364\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrappedNew\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:373"
    format_test.go:383: test 1: line 5: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.wrappedNew\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:364\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrappedNew\n\t/tmp/errors/format_test.go:373\ntesting.tRunner\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/testing/testing.go:2036\nruntime.goexit\n\t/gnu/store/nqi0024l00rz8x6spkcal7hwyvsxpznj-go-1.26.1/lib/go/src/runtime/asm_amd64.s:1771"
        want: "error\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.wrappedNew\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:364\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestFormatWrappedNew\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/format_test.go:373"
--- FAIL: TestFormatWrappedNew (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestErrorChainCompat
--- PASS: TestErrorChainCompat (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestIs
=== RUN   TestIs/with_stack
=== RUN   TestIs/with_message
=== RUN   TestIs/with_message_format
=== RUN   TestIs/std_errors_compatibility
--- PASS: TestIs (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestIs/with_stack (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestIs/with_message (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestIs/with_message_format (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestIs/std_errors_compatibility (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestAs
=== RUN   TestAs/with_stack
=== RUN   TestAs/with_message
=== RUN   TestAs/with_message_format
=== RUN   TestAs/std_errors_compatibility
--- PASS: TestAs (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestAs/with_stack (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestAs/with_message (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestAs/with_message_format (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestAs/std_errors_compatibility (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestUnwrap
=== RUN   TestUnwrap/with_stack
=== RUN   TestUnwrap/with_message
=== RUN   TestUnwrap/with_message_format
=== RUN   TestUnwrap/std_errors_compatibility
--- PASS: TestUnwrap (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestUnwrap/with_stack (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestUnwrap/with_message (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestUnwrap/with_message_format (0.00s)
    --- PASS: TestUnwrap/std_errors_compatibility (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFrameMarshalText
    json_test.go:26: test 1: MarshalJSON:
         got "github.com/pkg/errors.init /tmp/errors/stack_test.go:9"
         want "^github.com/pkg/errors\\.init(\\.ializers)? .+/github\\.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:\\d+$"
--- FAIL: TestFrameMarshalText (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFrameMarshalJSON
    json_test.go:48: test 1: MarshalJSON:
         got "\"github.com/pkg/errors.init /tmp/errors/stack_test.go:9\""
         want "^\"github\\.com/pkg/errors\\.init(\\.ializers)? .+/github\\.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:\\d+\"$"
--- FAIL: TestFrameMarshalJSON (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFrameFormat
    stack_test.go:91: test 2: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+s", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.init\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.init\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go"
    stack_test.go:91: test 12: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.init\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:9"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.init\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:9"
--- FAIL: TestFrameFormat (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestFuncname
--- PASS: TestFuncname (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestStackTrace
    stack_test.go:166: test 1: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:121"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:121"
    stack_test.go:166: test 2: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:126"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:126"
    stack_test.go:166: test 3: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:131"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:131"
    stack_test.go:166: test 4: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func1\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:136"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func1\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:136"
    stack_test.go:166: test 4: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:136"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:136"
    stack_test.go:166: test 5: line 1: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.TestStackTrace.func2.func3\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:145"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func2.1\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:145"
    stack_test.go:166: test 5: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.TestStackTrace.func2.func3\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:145"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func2.1\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:145"
    stack_test.go:166: test 5: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func2\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:146"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace.func2\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:146"
    stack_test.go:166: test 5: line 2: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:147"
        want: "github.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:147"
--- FAIL: TestStackTrace (0.00s)
=== RUN   TestStackTraceFormat
    stack_test.go:239: test 11: line 3: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.stackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:174\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTraceFormat\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:225"
        want: "\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.stackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:174\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTraceFormat\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:225"
    stack_test.go:239: test 11: line 5: fmt.Sprintf("%+v", err):
         got: "\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.stackTrace\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:174\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTraceFormat\n\t/tmp/errors/stack_test.go:225"
        want: "\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.stackTrace\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:174\ngithub.com/pkg/errors.TestStackTraceFormat\n\t.+/github.com/pkg/errors/stack_test.go:225"
--- FAIL: TestStackTraceFormat (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleNew
--- PASS: ExampleNew (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleWithMessage
--- PASS: ExampleWithMessage (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleWithStack
--- PASS: ExampleWithStack (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleWrap
--- PASS: ExampleWrap (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleCause
--- PASS: ExampleCause (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleWrapf
--- PASS: ExampleWrapf (0.00s)
=== RUN   ExampleCause_printf
--- PASS: ExampleCause_printf (0.00s)
FAIL
FAIL	github.com/pkg/errors	0.005s
FAIL

This package predates modules, and since it has zero dependencies, declined to add a go.mod file, since this is not required for packages to import this package.

Tests worked at the time the standard library errors package started providing error wrapping at which time, and thus obviated the central features of this package. The package has been essentially abandoned since.

For a temporary local test setup (without committing module files):

git clone https://github.com/pkg/errors.git
cd errors
go mod init github.com/pkg/errors
go test -vet=off ./...

The repository intentionally predates modules and has no runtime dependencies, so go mod init is only a local test harness. -vet=off is needed because the legacy tests intentionally pass non-constant format strings to Wrapf/WithMessagef. On newer Go versions, the stack-format tests can also be sensitive to the checkout path; that is an environment issue rather than a package behavior change. Remove the generated go.mod/go.sum after testing (or run in a disposable copy).

Navigation Menu

Repository navigation

Various problems when running tests #249

How to run tests?

vet complains

test failures

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Type

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

Various problems when running tests #249

Description

How to run tests?

vet complains

test failures

Activity

puellanivis commented on May 17, 2026

Solaris-star commented on Aug 10, 2026

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Type

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

Issue actions