Cannot install golangci-lint from source on Go <= 1.15

[pellared]

• Yes, I'm using a binary release within 2 latest major releases. Only such installations are supported.
• Yes, I've searched similar issues on GitHub and didn't find any.
• Yes, I've included all information below (version, config, etc).
• Yes, I've tried with the standalone linter if available. (https://golangci-lint.run/usage/linters/)

Description of the problem

golangci-lint started to "indirectly" depend on a Go standard library https://pkg.go.dev/golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/buildtag package which is available only starting from Go 1.16

Example failure on Go 1.14:

github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint imports
github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/pkg/commands imports
github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/pkg/lint/lintersdb imports
github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/pkg/golinters imports
golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/buildtag imports
go/build/constraint: package go/build/constraint is not in GOROOT (/opt/hostedtoolcache/go/1.14.15/x64/src/go/build/constraint)

Moreover, the information here is no longer true: https://golangci-lint.run/usage/install/#install-from-source

This is especially not good for repositories using the https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/Modules#how-can-i-track-tool-dependencies-for-a-module approach for installing additional Go-based tooling.

I think it would be good to support the 3 latest minor versions of Go. Or at least please fix the docs.

Version of golangci-lint

v1.40.0

Go environment

Any Go < 1.16

[ldez]

Hello,

We changed our Go version policy, we now support only go1.15 and go1.16 like the Go team.

You can use the binary with go1.14

#1926

[pellared]

@ldez I think you should update the docs: https://golangci-lint.run/usage/install/#install-from-source 😉

[bombsimon]

@ldez I think you should update the docs: https://golangci-lint.run/usage/install/#install-from-source 😉

I fail to see what's wrong with the docs?

Install from Source

Note: such go get installation aren't guaranteed to work. We recommend using binary installation.

Why?

go get installation isn't recommended because of the following points:

1. some users use -u flag for go get, which upgrades our dependencies. Resulting configuration wasn't tested and isn't guaranteed to work.
2. go.mod replacement directive doesn't apply. It means a user will be using patched version of golangci-lint if we use such replacements.
3. it's stability depends on a user's Go version (e.g. on this compiler Go <= 1.12 bug).
4. we've encountered a lot of issues with Go modules hashes.
5. it allows installation from master branch which can't be considered stable.
6. it's slower than binary installation

All of this holds true, it recommend you to not install with go get and nothing mentions a specific Go version.

[pellared]

@idez @bombsimon Thanks to both of your for your patience and answers 👍 I have also put a proposal here: #1657 (comment)