Go SDK Quickstart

Install the Go SDK

The SDK requires Go 1.25+.

mkdir aptos-go-quickstart
cd aptos-go-quickstart
go mod init example/aptos-go-quickstart
go get github.com/aptos-labs/aptos-go-sdk

Set up the Aptos client

client, err := aptos.NewClient(aptos.DevnetConfig)
if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create client:" + err.Error())
}

Create and fund accounts

NewEd25519Account returns both the account and an error.

alice, err := aptos.NewEd25519Account()
if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create alice:" + err.Error())
}
bob, err := aptos.NewEd25519Account()
if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create bob:" + err.Error())
}

err = client.Fund(alice.Address, 1_000_000_000)
if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to fund alice:" + err.Error())
}

On testnet, mint from the faucet page.

Transfer APT

Build an aptos_account::transfer payload, then sign, submit, and wait. BuildSignAndSubmitTransaction combines those steps.

accountBytes, err := bcs.Serialize(&bob.Address)
amountBytes, err := bcs.SerializeU64(1_000)
resp, err := client.BuildSignAndSubmitTransaction(alice, aptos.TransactionPayload{
    Payload: &aptos.EntryFunction{
        Module: aptos.ModuleId{
            Address: aptos.AccountOne,
            Name:    "aptos_account",
        },
        Function: "transfer",
        ArgTypes: []aptos.TypeTag{},
        Args:     [][]byte{accountBytes, amountBytes},
    },
})
_, err = client.WaitForTransaction(resp.Hash)

For the lower-level build → simulate → sign → submit → wait flow, see Building Transactions.

Full Quickstart Code

package main

import (
  "fmt"

  "github.com/aptos-labs/aptos-go-sdk"
  "github.com/aptos-labs/aptos-go-sdk/bcs"
)

const (
  FundAmount     = 1_000_000_000
  TransferAmount = 1_000
)

func main() {
  client, err := aptos.NewClient(aptos.DevnetConfig)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create client:" + err.Error())
  }

  alice, err := aptos.NewEd25519Account()
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create alice:" + err.Error())
  }
  bob, err := aptos.NewEd25519Account()
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to create bob:" + err.Error())
  }

  fmt.Printf("=== Addresses ===\n")
  fmt.Printf("Alice: %s\n", alice.Address.String())
  fmt.Printf("Bob:   %s\n", bob.Address.String())

  err = client.Fund(alice.Address, FundAmount)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to fund alice:" + err.Error())
  }

  aliceBalance, err := client.AccountAPTBalance(alice.Address)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to retrieve alice balance:" + err.Error())
  }
  bobBalance, err := client.AccountAPTBalance(bob.Address)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to retrieve bob balance:" + err.Error())
  }
  fmt.Printf("=== Initial Balances ===\n")
  fmt.Printf("Alice: %d\n", aliceBalance)
  fmt.Printf("Bob:   %d\n", bobBalance)

  accountBytes, err := bcs.Serialize(&bob.Address)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to serialize bob's address:" + err.Error())
  }
  amountBytes, err := bcs.SerializeU64(TransferAmount)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to serialize transfer amount:" + err.Error())
  }

  resp, err := client.BuildSignAndSubmitTransaction(alice, aptos.TransactionPayload{
    Payload: &aptos.EntryFunction{
      Module: aptos.ModuleId{
        Address: aptos.AccountOne,
        Name:    "aptos_account",
      },
      Function: "transfer",
      ArgTypes: []aptos.TypeTag{},
      Args: [][]byte{
        accountBytes,
        amountBytes,
      },
    },
  })
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to submit transaction:" + err.Error())
  }

  _, err = client.WaitForTransaction(resp.Hash)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to wait for transaction:" + err.Error())
  }

  aliceBalance, err = client.AccountAPTBalance(alice.Address)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to retrieve alice balance:" + err.Error())
  }
  bobBalance, err = client.AccountAPTBalance(bob.Address)
  if err != nil {
    panic("Failed to retrieve bob balance:" + err.Error())
  }
  fmt.Printf("=== Final Balances ===\n")
  fmt.Printf("Alice: %d\n", aliceBalance)
  fmt.Printf("Bob:   %d\n", bobBalance)
  fmt.Printf("See txn: https://explorer.aptoslabs.com/txn/%s?network=devnet\n", resp.Hash)
}

Run it with:

go run quickstart.go

Summary

You just learned how to transfer APT by:

Connecting to the network with aptos.NewClient.
Creating and funding accounts.
Submitting a transfer and waiting for execution.