You can either install locally the go environment, or simply use go docker image to create a go docker container. For the former approach, please read the following guide; jump to next section for the go docker image approach.

• Install your Go environment, under Ubuntu, use this method:

  http://blog.labix.org/2013/06/15/in-flight-deb-packages-of-go

• Set your GOPATH:

  On Ubuntu see here

• Install Ubuntu dependencies needed by various steps in this document:

  sudo apt-get install mercurial zip

• Pull the bot and its dependencies:

  go get github.com/plotly/plotbot/plotbot

• Install rice:

  go get github.com/GeertJohan/go.rice/rice

• Run "npm install":

  cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/web
  npm install
  

• Run "npm run build":

  cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/web
  npm run build
  

• Copy the plotbot.sample.conf file to $HOME/.plotbot and tweak at will.

• Build with:

  cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/plotbot
  go build && ./plotbot
  

• Note: It is also possible to build plotbot using the stable dependencies found within the Godeps directory. This can be done as follows:

    Install godep: 
    
       go get github.com/tools/godep
       
    Now build using the godep tool as follows:
    
       cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/plotbot
       godep go build && ./plotbot
  

• Inject static stuff (for the web app) in the binary with:

  cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/web
  rice append --exec=../plotbot/plotbot
  

• Enjoy! You can deploy the binary and it has all the assets in itself now.

Rename docker-compose.yml.example file to docker-compose.yml, and tweak at will. For example, change the go version. The GOPATH is set under container, so no need do it, the current working plotbot folder will be mounted inside container as /go/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot, so no need to set project path either. As docker container synchronizes such folder with your filesystem, so you can just edit files on your local filesystem.

• Use docker-compose to run container, under project directory

  $ docker-compose up -d  # run container plotbot
  $ docker-compose stop   # stop container plotbot
  $ docker-compose start  # start stopped container plotbot
  $ docker-compose rm -f  # delete container plotbot

  PS: docker-compose rm -f will delete all efforts done inside container, while stop/start routine will keep all the changes.

• To run inside container plotbot

  $ docker exec -ti plotbot /bin/bash

• To install godep, inside container plotbot do

  # go get github.com/tools/godep

• Compile plotbot source inside docker container,

  # cd /go/src/github.com/plotly/plotbot/plotbot
  # godep go install

  above commands will create a binary plotbot file under /go/bin inside docker container, as the GOPATH is already set, you can run plotbot anywhere inside docker container.

Take inspiration by looking at the different plugins, like Funny, Healthy, Storm, Deployer, etc.. Don't forget to update your bot's plugins list, like plotbot/main.go