How to disable highlightning of whitespace when editing Go source files in Vim?

Question

How can I disable highlightning of whitespace when editing Go source files in Vim?

Also, why does Vim highlight whitespace for Go source files, when it doesn't do it for Python source files - is highlighting of whitespace enabled depending on the file extension, e.g. .go or .py?

Vim version:

nlykkei:~$ vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.1 (2018 May 18, compiled Sep 16 2019 18:46:24)
Included patches: 1-503, 505-680, 682-1312
Compiled by root@apple.com
Normal version without GUI.  Features included (+) or not (-):
+acl               +extra_search      -mouse_netterm     -tag_old_static
-arabic            -farsi             +mouse_sgr         -tag_any_white
+autocmd           +file_in_path      -mouse_sysmouse    -tcl
+autochdir         +find_in_path      -mouse_urxvt       -termguicolors
-autoservername    +float             +mouse_xterm       +terminal
-balloon_eval      +folding           +multi_byte        +terminfo
-balloon_eval_term -footer            +multi_lang        +termresponse
-browse            +fork()            -mzscheme          +textobjects
+builtin_terms     -gettext           +netbeans_intg     +textprop
+byte_offset       -hangul_input      +num64             +timers
+channel           +iconv             +packages          +title
+cindent           +insert_expand     +path_extra        -toolbar
-clientserver      +job               -perl              +user_commands
-clipboard         +jumplist          +persistent_undo   -vartabs
+cmdline_compl     -keymap            +postscript        +vertsplit
+cmdline_hist      +lambda            +printer           +virtualedit
+cmdline_info      -langmap           -profile           +visual
+comments          +libcall           +python/dyn        +visualextra
-conceal           +linebreak         -python3           +viminfo
+cryptv            +lispindent        +quickfix          +vreplace
+cscope            +listcmds          +reltime           +wildignore
+cursorbind        +localmap          -rightleft         +wildmenu
+cursorshape       -lua               +ruby/dyn          +windows
+dialog_con        +menu              +scrollbind        +writebackup
+diff              +mksession         +signs             -X11
+digraphs          +modify_fname      +smartindent       -xfontset
-dnd               +mouse             +startuptime       -xim
-ebcdic            -mouseshape        +statusline        -xpm
-emacs_tags        -mouse_dec         -sun_workshop      -xsmp
+eval              -mouse_gpm         +syntax            -xterm_clipboard
+ex_extra          -mouse_jsbterm     +tag_binary        -xterm_save
   system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc"
     user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
 2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
      user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
       defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
  fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -DMACOS_X_UNIX  -g -O2 -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1
Linking: gcc   -L/usr/local/lib -o vim        -lm -lncurses  -liconv -framework Cocoa

Answer 1

It's not highlighting nor any plugin. It's syntax coloring for so-called "whitespace errors" — trailing whitespace that shouldn't be there. It's coming from the built-in syntax/go.vim.

You can customize the highlighting by setting various global go_* variables. The block comment at the top of go.vim explains them:

" Options:
"   There are some options for customizing the highlighting; the recommended
"   settings are the default values, but you can write:
"     let OPTION_NAME = 0
"   in your ~/.vimrc file to disable particular options. You can also write:
"     let OPTION_NAME = 1
"   to enable particular options. At present, all options default to on.
"
"   - g:go_highlight_array_whitespace_error
"     Highlights white space after "[]".
"   - g:go_highlight_chan_whitespace_error
"     Highlights white space around the communications operator that don't
"     follow the standard style.
"   - g:go_highlight_extra_types
"     Highlights commonly used library types (io.Reader, etc.).
"   - g:go_highlight_space_tab_error
"     Highlights instances of tabs following spaces.
"   - g:go_highlight_trailing_whitespace_error
"     Highlights trailing white space.

Notes:

• g: sets the options globally.
• Use :set syntax to check the current language.
• See filetype.vim for filename to language mappings.