hpack: A modern format for Haskell packages

Hpack is a format for Haskell packages. It is a modern alternative to the Cabal package format and follows different design principles.

Design principles

The guiding design principles for Hpack are:

Don't require the user to state the obvious, make sensible assumptions by default
Give the user 100% control when needed
Don't require the user to repeat things, facilitate DRYness

Tool integration

Hpack packages are described in a file named package.yaml. Both cabal2nix and stack support package.yaml natively. For other build tools the hpack executable can be used to generate a .cabal file from package.yaml.

There is no user guide

There is reference documentation below, but introductory documentation is still lacking. For the time being, take a look at the slides from my talk about Hpack at the Singapore Haskell meetup: http://typeful.net/talks/hpack

Examples

Given this package.yaml running hpack will generate hpack.cabal
Given this package.yaml running hpack will generate getopt-generics.cabal
Given this package.yaml running hpack will generate sensei.cabal
Given this package.yaml running hpack will generate base-orphans.cabal

Documentation

hpack: A modern format for Haskell packages

Handling of `Paths_` modules

Cabal generates a Paths_ module for every package. How exactly Hpack behaves in regards to that module depends on the value of the spec-version field.

If the spec-version is explicitly specified and at least 0.36.0 the modern behavior is used, otherwise Hpack falls back to the legacy behavior.

To use the modern behavior, require at least

spec-version: 0.36.0

in your package.yaml.

Modern behavior

If you want to use the Paths_ module for a component, you have to explicitly specify it under generated-other-modules.

Example:

library:
  source-dirs: src
  generated-other-modules: Paths_name # substitute name with the package name

Legacy behavior

For historic reasons Hpack adds the Paths_ module to other-modules when generating a .cabal file.

To prevent Hpack from adding the Paths_ module to other-modules add the following to package.yaml:

library:
  when:
  - condition: false
    other-modules: Paths_name # substitute name with the package name

Quick-reference

Top-level fields

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes	Example	Since
`spec-version`			The minimum version of `hpack` that is required to parse this package description.	`spec-version: 0.30.0`	`0.30.0`
`name`	·
`version`	·	`0.0.0`
`synopsis`	·
`description`	·
`category`	·
`stability`	·
`homepage`	·	If `github` given, `<repo>#readme`
`bug-reports`	·	If `github` given, `<repo>/issues`
`author`	·		May be a list
`maintainer`	·	`author`	May be a list
`copyright`	·		May be a list
`license`	·	Inferred from `license-file`	Both SPDX license expressions and traditional Cabal license identifiers are accepted.	`license: MIT`	SPDX: `0.29.0`
`license-file`	`license-file` or `license-files`	`LICENSE` if file exists	May be a list
`tested-with`	·		May be a list (since `0.34.3`)
`build-type`	·	`Simple`, or `Custom` if `custom-setup` exists	Must be `Simple`, `Configure`, `Make`, or `Custom`
`extra-source-files`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`extra-doc-files`	·		Accepts glob patterns		`0.21.2`
`data-files`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`data-dir`	·
`github`	`source-repository head`		Accepts `owner/repo` or `owner/repo/subdir`	`github: foo/bar`
`git`	`source-repository head`		No effect if `github` given	`git: https://my.repo.com/foo`
`custom-setup`	·		See Custom setup
`flags`	`flag <name>`		Map from flag name to flag (see Flags)
`library`	·		See Library fields
`internal-libraries`	`library <name>`		Map from internal library name to a dict of library fields and global top-level fields.		`0.21.0`
`executables`	`executable <name>`		Map from executable name to executable (see Executable fields)
`executable`	`executable <package-name>`		Shortcut for `executables: { package-name: ... }`		`0.18.0`
`tests`	`test-suite <name>`		Map from test name to test (see Test fields)
`benchmarks`	`benchmark <name>`		Map from benchmark name to benchmark (see Benchmark fields)
`defaults`			See Defaults, may be a list

cabal-version

Hpack does not require you to specify a cabal-version manually. When generating a .cabal file, Hpack sets the cabal-version automatically based on the features that are used.

If you want to override this behavior you can use verbatim to set cabal-version manually, e.g.:

verbatim:
  cabal-version: 2.2

Defaults

Hpack allows the inclusion of common fields from a file on GitHub or a local file.

To use this feature a user must specify a GitHub repository, Git reference and a path to a file within that repository; alternatively, a path to the local file must be given.

Example:

defaults:
  github: sol/hpack-template
  ref: 2017
  path: defaults.yaml

This will include all common fields from https://github.com/sol/hpack-template/blob/2017/defaults.yaml into the package specification.

Field	Default	Notes	Example
`github`	For github defaults.	Accepts `<owner>/<repo>`	`github: sol/hpack-template`
`ref`		For github defaults.	`ref: 2017`
`path`	`.hpack/defaults.yaml`	For github defaults. A relative path to a file within the repository, path segments are separated by `/` and must not contain `:` and `\`.	`path: defaults.yaml`
`local`		For local defaults. New in `0.26.0`.

Exactly one of github and local must be given in a defaults section.

Hpack supports shorthand syntax for specifying github and ref as a string:

defaults: sol/hpack-template@2017

This is equivalent to:

defaults:
  github: sol/hpack-template
  ref: 2017

Note: Hpack caches downloaded files under ~/.hpack/defaults/<owner>/<repo>/<path>. Once downloaded, a file is reused from the cache. If the content on GitHub changes the file is not updated. For this reason it is recommended to only use tags as Git references.

If a defaults file has changed on GitHub and you want to use the latest version, then you have to delete that file from the cache manually.
If you want to prevent Hpack from accessing the network to download a defaults file, then you can achieve this by adding that file to the cache manually.

Custom setup

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes	Example
`dependencies`	`setup-depends`		Implies `build-type: Custom`

Common fields

These fields can be specified top-level or on a per section basis; top-level values are merged with per section values.

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes
`buildable`	·		Per section takes precedence over top-level
`source-dirs`	`hs-source-dirs`
`default-extensions`	·
`language`	`default-language`	`Haskell2010`	Also accepts `Haskell98`, `GHC2021` or `GHC2024`. Per section takes precedence over top-level
`other-extensions`	·
`ghc-options`	·
`ghc-prof-options`	·
`ghc-shared-options`	·
`ghcjs-options`	·
`cpp-options`	·
`asm-options`	·
`asm-sources`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`cc-options`	·
`c-sources`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`cxx-options`	·
`cxx-sources`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`js-sources`	·		Accepts glob patterns
`extra-lib-dirs`	·
`extra-libraries`	·
`include-dirs`	·
`install-includes`	·
`frameworks`	·
`extra-frameworks-dirs`	·
`ld-options`	·
`dependencies`	`build-depends`		See Dependencies
`pkg-config-dependencies`	`pkgconfig-depends`
`build-tools`	`build-tools` and/or `build-tool-depends`
`system-build-tools`	`build-tools`		A set of system executables that have to be on the `PATH` to build this component
`when`			Accepts a list of conditionals (see Conditionals)

build-tools: A set of Haskell executables that are needed to build this component

Each element consists of a name and an optional version constraint.

The name can be specified in two ways:

Qualified: <package>:<executable>
Unqualified: <executable>

A qualified name refers to an executable named <executable> from a package named <package>.

An unqualified name either refers to an executables in the same package, or if no such executable exists it is desugared to <executable>:<executable>.

build-tools can be specified as a list or a mapping.

Examples:

build-tools:
  - alex
  - happy:happy
  - hspec-discover == 2.*

build-tools:
  alex: 3.2.*
  happy:happy: 1.19.*
  hspec-discover: 2.*

When generating a .cabal file each element of build-tools is either added to build-tools or build-tool-depends.

If the name refers to one of alex, c2hs, cpphs, greencard, haddock, happy, hsc2hs or hscolour then the element is added to build-tools, otherwise it is added to build-tool-depends.

This is done to allow compatibility with a wider range of Cabal versions.

Note: Unlike Cabal, Hpack does not accept system executables as build-tools. Use system-build-tools if you need this.

Library fields

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes
`exposed`	·
`visibility`	·
`exposed-modules`	·	All modules in `source-dirs` less `other-modules` less any modules mentioned in `when`
`generated-exposed-modules`			Added to `exposed-modules` and `autogen-modules`. Since `0.23.0`.
`other-modules`	·	Outside conditionals: All modules in `source-dirs` less `exposed-modules` less any modules mentioned in `when`. Inside conditionals, and only if `exposed-modules` is not specified inside the conditional: All modules in `source-dirs` of the conditional less any modules mentioned in `when` of the conditional
`generated-other-modules`			Added to `other-modules` and `autogen-modules`. Since `0.23.0`.
`reexported-modules`	·
`signatures`	·

Executable fields

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes
`main`	`main-is`
`other-modules`	·	All modules in `source-dirs` less `main` less any modules mentioned in `when`
`generated-other-modules`			Added to `other-modules` and `autogen-modules`. Since `0.23.0`.

Test fields

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes
	`type`	`exitcode-stdio-1.0`
`main`	`main-is`
`other-modules`	·	All modules in `source-dirs` less `main` less any modules mentioned in `when`
`generated-other-modules`			Added to `other-modules` and `autogen-modules`. Since `0.23.0`.

Benchmark fields

Hpack	Cabal	Default	Notes
	`type`	`exitcode-stdio-1.0`
`main`	`main-is`
`other-modules`	·	All modules in `source-dirs` less `main` less any modules mentioned in `when`
`generated-other-modules`			Added to `other-modules` and `autogen-modules`. Since `0.23.0`.

Flags

Hpack	Cabal	Notes
`description`	·	Optional
`manual`	·	Required (unlike Cabal)
`default`	·	Required (unlike Cabal)

Dependencies

Dependencies can be specified as either a list or an object. These are equivalent:

  dependencies:
    - base >= 4.10.1.0
    - containers >= 5.10

  dependencies:
    base: ">= 4.10.1.0"
    containers: ">= 5.10"

The individual dependencies can also be specified as an object:

  dependencies:
    - name: base
      version: ">= 4.10.1.0"
    - name: containers

You can use objects at both levels, or have a mix of valid ways to specify the individual dependencies:

  dependencies:
    base:
      version: ">= 4.10.1.0"
    # If you don't give a version, it defaults to 'any version'.
    containers: {}
    transformers: ">= 0.5.5.0 && < 5.6"

Individual dependencies as objects are only supported from version 0.31.0.

When a dependency is specified as an object, you can use the mixin field to control what modules from the dependency your program will see and how its signatures are filled in:

  dependencies:
    # This gives you a shorter name to import from, and hides the other modules.
    - name: containers
      mixin:
        - (Data.Map.Lazy as Map)
    # This hides the System.IO.Unsafe module, and leaves the other modules unchanged.
    - name: base
      mixin:
        - hiding (System.IO.Unsafe)
    # This exposes only the listed modules - you won't be able to import the others!
    - name: lens
      mixin:
        - (Control.Lens, Data.Set.Lens, Data.Map.Lens as MapL)
    # This will rename the module, and expose the others.
    - name: transformers
      mixin:
        - hiding (Control.Monad.Trans.State.Lazy)
        - (Control.Monad.Trans.State.Lazy as State)

For more information, see the Cabal documentation.

Hint: you can hide the Prelude module from base, and then rename an alternative prelude to Prelude so that it doesn't need to be imported!

mixin was added in version 0.31.0.

Conditionals

Conditionals with no else branch:

Must have a condition field
May have any number of other fields

For example,

when:
  - condition: os(darwin)
    extra-lib-dirs: lib/darwin

becomes

if os(darwin)
  extra-lib-dirs:
    lib/darwin

Conditionals with an else branch:

Must have a condition field
Must have a then field, itself an object containing any number of other fields
Must have a else field, itself an object containing any number of other fields

For example,

when:
  - condition: flag(fast)
    then:
      ghc-options: -O2
    else:
      ghc-options: -O0

becomes

if flag(fast)
  ghc-options: -O2
else
  ghc-options: -O0

Note: Conditionals with condition: false are omitted from the generated .cabal file.

File globbing

At place where you can specify a list of files you can also use glob patterns. Glob patterns and ordinary file names can be freely mixed, e.g.:

extra-source-files:
  - static/*.js
  - static/site.css

Glob patterns are expanded according to the following rules:

? and * are expanded according to POSIX (they match arbitrary characters, except for directory separators)
** is expanded in a zsh-like fashion (matching across directory separators)
?, * and ** do not match a . at the beginning of a file/directory

Passing things to Cabal verbatim

(since hpack-0.24.0)

In cases where Hpack does not (yet!) support what you want to do, you can use the verbatim field to pass things to Cabal verbatim. It is recognized top-level, in sections, and in conditionals.

verbatim accepts an object or a string (or a list of objects and strings).

Disclaimer: The content of verbatim fields are merged into the generated .cabal file as a final step, after Hpack is done with most of its work. Before that final step Hpack does not look at any verbatim fields. Consequently, the content of a verbatim field does not affect any other fields that are populated by Hpack. As an example, if you use verbatim to override hs-source-dirs, the overridden information will not be used when Hpack infers exposed-modules or other-modules.

Objects

When an object is used:

field values can be strings, numbers, booleans, or null
existing .cabal fields can be overridden
existing .cabal fields can be removed by overriding with null
additional .cabal fields can be added

Example:

tests:
  spec:
    main: Spec.hs
    source-dirs: test
    verbatim:
      type: detailed-0.9     # change type from exitcode-stdio-1.0
      default-language: null # remove default-language

Strings

When a string is used:

it will be added verbatim, indented to match the indentation of the surrounding context.
all existing .cabal fields are left untouched

Example:

verbatim: |
  build-tool-depends:
      hspec-discover:hspec-discover == 2.*

Lists of objects and strings

You can combine the use of objects and strings to gain more fine-grained control, e.g. you can remove an existing field with an object and then include it with a string so that you have 100% control over the layout.

verbatim:
  - build-depends: null
  - |
    -- let's use Cabal 5.0 dependency syntax
    build-depends:
      hspec: [2-3[

Not repeating yourself

It is possible to use YAML anchors (&), aliases (*) and merge keys (<<) to define fields and reference them later.

executables:
  my-exe-1: &my-exe
    main: my-exe-1.hs
    dependencies: [base, my-lib]
    ghc-options: [-threaded]
  my-exe-2:
    <<: *my-exe
    main: my-exe-2.hs

Fields that start with an underscore are ignored by hpack, so they can be used to declare aliases:

_exe-ghc-options: &exe-ghc-options
  - -threaded
  - -rtsopts

executables:
  my-exe-1:
    ghc-options: *exe-ghc-options

It is also possible to use the !include directive:

# ...

tests:
  hlint: !include "../common/hlint.yaml"

hlint.yaml:

source-dirs: test
main: hlint.hs
dependencies: [base, hlint]

This can also be used to provide entire libraries of snippets:

_common/lib: !include "../common/lib.yaml"

name: example1
version: '0.1.0.0'
synopsis: Example
<<: *legal

<<: *defaults

library:
  source-dirs: src

tests:
  hlint: *test_hlint

lib.yaml:

- &legal
  maintainer: Some One <someone@example.com>
  copyright: (c) 2017 Some One
  license: BSD3

- &defaults
  dependencies:
    - base
    - containers
  ghc-options:
    - -Wall
    - -Werror

- &test_hlint
  source-dirs: test
  main: hlint.hs
  dependencies: [hlint]

The hpack executable

If the hpack executable is on the PATH, to obtain help about its usage, command hpack --help. In addition to its main use, hpack can also be used as follows:

hpack --version Output information about the version of hpack to the standard output channel, in the format hpack version x.y.z.
hpack --numeric-version Output information about the version of hpack to the standard output channel, in the format x.y.z.
hpack --help Output information about the usage of hpack to the standard error channel.
hpack list (undocumented) Output the names of the package's exposed modules to the standard output channel, in the format of one name on each line.

In respect of its main use, hpack has the following optional flags:

--silent Output no information other than error messages.
--canonical By default, hpack takes into account aspects of the format of an existing Cabal file when generating a new Cabal file. Pass this flag to cause hpack to ignore the format of an existing Cabal file when generating a new one.
--force or -f By default, hpack will not generate a Cabal file unnecessarily. Pass this flag to force the generation of a new Cabal file.
--[no-]hash Enable/disable the inclusion of a SHA-256 hash of the other content of the generated Cabal file in the header comment added by hpack to the generated Cabal file. (default: disabled)
- Output the generated Cabal file contents to the standard output channel.

By default, hpack will assume the package description in the Hpack format is in file package.yaml in the current working directory. Alternatively, a relative or absolute path to a file can be specified.

Vim integration

To run hpack automatically on modifications to package.yaml add the following to your ~/.vimrc:

autocmd BufWritePost package.yaml call Hpack()

function Hpack()
  let err = system('hpack ' . expand('%'))
  if v:shell_error
    echo err
  endif
endfunction

Stack support

Stack has built-in support for Hpack. If you are using Stack you can use package.yaml instead of a .cabal file. No additional steps are required.

Binaries for use on CI

You can get binaries for use on CI with:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sol/hpack/main/get-hpack.sh | bash
hpack && git diff --exit-code

(both Linux and ~~OS X~~ are supported)

sol/hpack

hpack: A modern format for Haskell packages

Design principles

Tool integration

There is no user guide

Examples

Documentation

Handling of Paths_ modules

Modern behavior

Legacy behavior

Quick-reference

Top-level fields

cabal-version

Defaults

Custom setup

Common fields

Library fields

Executable fields

Test fields

Benchmark fields

Flags

Dependencies

Conditionals

File globbing

Passing things to Cabal verbatim

Objects

Strings

Lists of objects and strings

Not repeating yourself

The hpack executable

Vim integration

Stack support

Binaries for use on CI

Handling of `Paths_` modules