goenv vs SDKMAN!

goenv manages Go versions on Linux and macOS using a model similar to pyenv and rbenv. It supports global selections, per-project versions, and environment-variable overrides. Shim executables placed in PATH route Go commands to the selected installation, enabling automatic switching and project version pinning. The installation guide says goenv downloads prebuilt Go binaries provided by Google, while new Go versions are added automatically on a daily cron schedule. The project identifies v3 as its current stable version and recommends it for new installations; it says v3 is fully backward compatible with v2. Version 2 receives security patches and critical bug fixes, with support ending on or before December 31, 2028. Setup documentation covers Bash and Zsh, including a .bashrc note for Ubuntu. Installation options include Homebrew and ZPlug for Zsh, and the README includes AWS CodeBuild guidance. goenv is free under the MIT license.

SDKMAN! is a command-line interface and API for managing Software Development Kits in the JVM ecosystem. It supports languages and tools including Java, Scala, Kotlin, Groovy, Ant, Gradle, Grails, Maven, SBT, Spark, Spring Boot, and Vert.x. From the CLI, users can install, uninstall, list, inspect, switch, upgrade, and set default SDK versions. A project can record its versions in an .sdkmanrc file, with automatic switching available when entering its directory. Java distributions are obtained through the Foojay DISCO API. SDKMAN! works on macOS and Linux; Windows use requires WSL or MSYS with MinGW, since it does not run natively there. Cygwin is no longer supported. The installer requires curl, zip, and unzip, and works with Bash and ZSH. Its CI mode answers prompts, disables colored output, and turns off self-updates. SDKMAN! is free, open source, and Apache 2.0 licensed. Security updates are provided only for the latest released CLI version. The project says Go, Rust, Node.js, Python, and Ruby toolchains are outside its intended scope.