brew

Install cabal-install with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper, apk, chocolatey, MacPorts, scoop, winget

Command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage. Version 3.16.1.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install cabal-install

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install cabal

MacPorts ports tree · lang/cabal/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install cabal-install

Debian stable package indexes · cabal-install · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install cabal-install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · cabal-install · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#cabal-install

nixpkgs package indexes · cabal-install · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S cabal-install

Arch Linux sync databases · cabal-install · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install cabal-install

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · cabal-install · source: download.opensuse.org

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add cabal

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · cabal · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install cabal

Chocolatey community package catalog · cabal · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install extras/cabal

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/cabal.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id haskell.cabal -e

Windows Package Manager source index · haskell.cabal · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage

Project links

Commands and aliases

cabal

history

Project history and usage

cabal-install provides the cabal command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage. It is the traditional Haskell package/build tool and remains central to building, fetching, configuring, and installing Haskell packages.

Project history

The Haskell Cabal project defines the Common Architecture for Building Applications and Libraries. The project distinguishes cabal-the-spec, cabal-the-library, and cabal-the-tool; the Homebrew cabal-install package is the tool that supplies the cabal executable.

Cabal's package description format and library became part of the common Haskell packaging infrastructure, while cabal-install added the command-line layer for interacting with local packages, remote packages, and Hackage. The upstream repository now contains Cabal, Cabal-syntax, cabal-install, cabal-install-solver, and related components.

Hackage records Cabal package releases back to 1.1.6 and cabal-install releases back to 0.4.0, with current 3.x releases maintained by the Cabal Development Team.

Adoption history

cabal-install became a default expectation in Haskell development because it is tightly coupled to Hackage, the central package archive. The official Cabal site recommends GHCup as the preferred way to install the cabal executable, while still documenting distribution package managers and source/binary downloads.

The tool has stayed relevant alongside newer Haskell tooling because it is both a package manager and a build driver. Its v2/new-build model, package solver, freeze files, project files, and Hackage integration make it an important base layer even when users reach it indirectly through other workflows.

How it is used

Common commands include cabal init to create package metadata, cabal build to build a project, cabal run to run an executable target, cabal test for tests, cabal update to refresh the package index, and cabal install cabal-install to self-upgrade when appropriate.

The tool manages Haskell package source, dependency solving, build plans, local project configuration, and interaction with Hackage. It is commonly installed alongside GHC, and the upstream README lists GHCup, official downloads, source builds, and preview releases as supported ways to obtain cabal-install.

Why package nerds care

For package nerds, cabal-install is a foundational package manager because it helped define the Haskell package metadata culture around .cabal files, Hackage uploads, solver-driven dependency plans, and reproducible-ish local project builds before many language ecosystems standardized similar workflows.

Its distinction between a package description format, a library that understands the format, and a CLI that talks to Hackage is historically important. Many later package managers blur those roles; Cabal made them explicit and reusable within the Haskell ecosystem.

Timeline

2003: Cabal and cabal-install copyright history begins in Hackage metadata.
2007: Hackage lists cabal-install 0.4.0 as the earliest cabal-install version in its version history.
2012: cabal-install 0.14.x appears in Hackage's version sequence, preceding the later 1.x and 2.x eras.
2017: cabal-install 2.0.x appears in Hackage's version sequence.
2019: cabal-install 3.0.x appears in Hackage's version sequence.
2026-01-01: Hackage lists cabal-install 3.16.1.0 as the current release upload.

Related projects

Cabal is the library and specification side of the same upstream repository.
Hackage is the package archive cabal-install targets.
GHCup is the recommended installer for GHC and cabal-install on current official pages.
Stack is a related Haskell build tool that commonly coexists with Cabal-based packages.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: orange

package manager and build ecosystem.

Risk classifier

orange risk · high confidence · infrastructure

Why

package manager and build ecosystem

Signals

override:cabal-install

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/cabal/config~/.config/cabal/config~/.cabal/config
Windows: %APPDATA%/cabal/config

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`cabal`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version3.16.1.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.haskell.org/cabal/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.haskell.org/cabal/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:cabal-install
Version	3.16.1.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/cabal-install
Homepage	https://www.haskell.org/cabal/
Repository	https://github.com/haskell/cabal
Upstream docs	https://cabal.readthedocs.io/en/stable
License	BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install-3.16.1.0/cabal-install-3.16.1.0.tar.gz
Dependencies	gmp
Build dependencies	ghc
Uses from macOS	libffi
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	cabal-install
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

cabal-install 3.10.3.0-1+b1

command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage

https://www.haskell.org/cabal/

sudo apt install cabal-install

Section: haskell
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: haskell-cabal-install
6 dependencies
2 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: cabal-install from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

cabal-install

nix profile install nixpkgs#cabal-install

normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

nixpkgs package indexes · raw.githubusercontent.com · nixpkgs package indexes: cabal-install from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix

Ubuntu apt95%

cabal-install 3.8.1.0-1

command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage

https://www.haskell.org/cabal/

sudo apt install cabal-install

Section: universe/haskell
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: haskell-cabal-install
5 dependencies
2 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: cabal-install from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf95%

cabal-install 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

The command-line interface for Cabal and Hackage

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install cabal-install

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
10 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cabal-install from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
32 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-devel 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install library development files

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-devel

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
3 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-doc 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install library documentation

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-doc

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: cabal-install
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-doc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-prof 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install profiling library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-prof

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
2 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-prof from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-solver 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install-solver library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install-solver

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-solver

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
32 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-solver from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-solver-devel 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install-solver library development files

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-solver-devel

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
3 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-solver-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-solver-doc 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install-solver library documentation

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-solver-doc

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: cabal-install
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-solver-doc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-cabal-install-solver-prof 3.12.1.0-2.fc45

Haskell cabal-install-solver profiling library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-cabal-install-solver-prof

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
2 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-cabal-install-solver-prof from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-open-browser 0.4.0.0-2.fc45

Haskell open-browser library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/open-browser

sudo dnf install ghc-open-browser

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
24 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-open-browser from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-open-browser-devel 0.4.0.0-2.fc45

Haskell open-browser library development files

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-open-browser-devel

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
3 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-open-browser-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-open-browser-doc 0.4.0.0-2.fc45

Haskell open-browser library documentation

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-open-browser-doc

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: cabal-install
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-open-browser-doc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

ghc-open-browser-prof 0.4.0.0-2.fc45

Haskell open-browser profiling library

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/cabal-install

sudo dnf install ghc-open-browser-prof

License: BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: cabal-install
2 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Cabal Install

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ghc-open-browser-prof from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/cabal-install.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install cabal-install with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper, apk, chocolatey, MacPorts, scoop, winget

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Windows

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: orange

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources