golang-modernize Skill (samber): What It Does and How to Install It

Makes Claude find old patterns in Go code and replace them with newer language features, standard library packages and tooling, safest changes first.

Installs: 41.2K; on skills.sh
Stars: 3.7K; on GitHub
Files: 3; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

golang-modernize makes Claude read your go.mod, scan for old Go patterns and suggest their modern replacements. In inline mode it only suggests changes tied to the code you are working on and asks whether to raise others. In full-scan mode it fans out five sub-agents and applies a codebase-wide rewrite in an isolated worktree. It writes ignored suggestions to a .modernize file in the project root so it does not repeat them.

Good for

Go teams on an old go.mod who want to upgrade to a recent Go version
Developers hitting deprecation warnings in the standard library
Claude Code and Codex users running a CI or tooling refresh

Install golang-modernize

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the golang-modernize skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin marketplace add samber/cc
/plugin install cc-skills-golang@samber

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

The README says these skills are built as atomic, cross-referencing units, and that installing only a subset gives a partial and potentially inconsistent view of the guidelines. It recommends installing all the general-purpose skills together, which the plugin does. Its manifest lists no hooks or MCP servers, and the repo holds 46 skills. Use the skills CLI line only if you want just this one. Pick one route, not both.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Modernize Golang code to use recent language features, standard library improvements, and idiomatic patterns. Use when reviewing Go code with old-style patterns, when encountering a deprecation warning, or when the user asks for modernization, a Go version upgrade (e.g. to Go 1.27), or a CI/tooling refresh. Not for structural refactors, extracting functions, or moving code between packages (→ See `samber/cc-skills-golang@golang-refactoring` skill).

Sections in SKILL.md

Workflow
.modernize file format
Go Version Changelogs
Using the modernize linter
Version-specific modernizations
Tooling modernization
Deprecated Packages Migration
Go 1.27+ version-bump risk checklist
Migration Priority Guide
High priority (safety and correctness)
Medium priority (readability and maintainability)
Lower priority (gradual improvement)
Related Skills

Key facts

Author: samber
Repository: samber/cc-skills-golang
License: MIT
Skill version: 1.5.1
Installs on skills.sh: 41,198 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 3,749 (Nov 2, 2026)
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Nov 1, 2026
Files: 4 files including SKILL.md: 2 reference guides (tooling, version-by-version changes) and an evals/evals.json file
Works in: Claude Code, Codex or similar agents, for Go projects (SKILL.md compatibility line)
Needs: The Go toolchain (SKILL.md lists go as a required binary)
Allowed tools: Read, Edit, Write, Glob, Grep, Bash(go:*), Bash(golangci-lint:*), Bash(git:*), Agent, WebFetch, WebSearch, AskUserQuestion, EnterWorktree, ExitWorktree

What it includes

Suggests only modernizations for the code you are working on and asks first
It asks once, through the question tool, whether to suggest what it noticed. If you skip, it stops and does not raise modernization again that session.
Inline mode
Scans the whole codebase with 5 sub-agents, then rewrites in an isolated worktree
Agents cover deprecated packages, language features, standard library upgrades, testing patterns, and tooling and infra. The scan is read-only; the rewrite happens in a worktree.
Runs code · Full-scan mode
Nine steps: check go.mod, read .modernize, scan, run golangci-lint and go test
Also runs go mod tidy and the test suite before suggesting a dependency update.
Runs code · Workflow
Records suggestions you declined, one line each with date, category and note
Written to the project root when you explicitly ignore a suggestion.
Write · .modernize file
A seven-row table of Go 1.21 to 1.27 release notes to cite when suggesting a change
Go Version Changelogs
Runs golangci-lint with the modernize linter (v2.6.0 or newer) if available
Using the modernize linter
A 15-row table, such as math/rand to math/rand/v2 and runtime.SetFinalizer to AddCleanup
Deprecated Packages Migration
Flags GODEBUG settings and crypto/tls.Config.Rand that can now fail the build
Go 1.27+ version-bump risk checklist
30 numbered changes in high, medium and lower priority, safety fixes first
Migration Priority Guide
Two guides: tooling modernization, and before/after examples for Go 1.21 to 1.27
Reference guides

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

It can rewrite many Go files at once in a git worktree and run go, golangci-lint and git commands in your project. Review that worktree before you merge it.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It edits Go files and runs go and git commands
The frontmatter allows Edit, Write and Bash for go, golangci-lint and git. Work on a branch and read the diff before you commit.
It can rewrite many files in one pass
Full-scan mode applies a codebase-wide rewrite in an isolated worktree. Review that worktree before you merge it.
It writes a .modernize file and can browse the web
Declined suggestions go into .modernize in your project root. The frontmatter also allows WebFetch and WebSearch. Commit or delete the file as you prefer.

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only setting is documented in SKILL.md.
Talks to	Your AI provider receives the Go code and command output Claude reads
Sign-in and keys	SKILL.md names no account or API key.
Scopes	Claude edits Go files and may rewrite many of them in a worktree Claude runs go, golangci-lint and git commands Claude writes a .modernize file in the project root WebFetch and WebSearch are allowed tools

Questions

How do I install golang-modernize?

Use the install box above. The plugin route installs the whole Go skill set (46 skills in the repo), and the skills CLI route installs only this skill. Pick one so you do not get every skill twice. The README says these skills cross-reference each other and installing a subset gives a partial view.

Does golang-modernize work in the Claude app?

The README documents no Claude app install, so the Claude tab in the install box is our generic zip-upload route, not a documented one. The skill reads and edits Go files and runs go commands on your machine, so Claude Code or Codex is the better fit.

Does golang-modernize need an API key?

SKILL.md names no API key or account. It does need Go installed on your machine.

Is golang-modernize safe to run?

It edits your Go files and runs go, golangci-lint and git commands in your project, so work on a branch and read the diff before you commit. The skill bundles no scripts: its other files are reference guides and an evals/evals.json file.

Will golang-modernize rewrite my whole codebase?

Only when you ask. SKILL.md says it must never run a large refactor while you work on something else. An explicit /golang-modernize call or a CI run scans everything and applies the rewrite in an isolated worktree.

How is it different from golang-refactoring?

SKILL.md says golang-modernize is not for structural refactors, extracting functions or moving code between packages; those go to golang-refactoring. Modernize swaps old patterns and APIs for newer ones.

What if I disagree with a suggestion?

Say so. When you explicitly ignore a suggestion, the skill writes a one-line note to .modernize in the project root and will not raise it again.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: samber/cc-skills-golang
Folder: skills/golang-modernize

samber/cc-skills-golang skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 7

cc-skills-golang · github.com
cc-skills-golang README · github.com
plugin.json · github.com
skills CLI commands · github.com
README.md#-how-to-use · github.com
golang-modernize SKILL.md · github.com
golang-modernize on skills.sh · skills.sh