You can easily install the RC as its own binary with the new awesome version tool: $ go get golang.org/x/build/version/go1.8rc1 $ go1.8rc1 download

You can easily install the RC as its own binary with the new awesome version tool: $ go get golang.org/x/build/version/go1.8rc1 $ go1.8rc1 download $ go1.8rc1 version go version go1.8rc1 darwin/amd64 $ go1.8rc1 build ...