# Install hpack with Homebrew, apt, Nix Modern format for Haskell packages. Version 0.39.6 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-13. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:hpack ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install hpack ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install hpack ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: hpack from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#hpack ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: hpack from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:hpack - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.39.6 - **Source summary:** Modern format for Haskell packages - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-13T23:34:58+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - hpack (cli) - hpack (alias) ## Dependencies - gmp ## Build dependencies - cabal-install - ghc ## Uses from macOS - libffi ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 0.39.6 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-13 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/sol/hpack - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage hpack is a Haskell packaging tool and package-description format built around `package.yaml`. It generates Cabal files while trying to reduce repetition and make common package metadata less verbose. ### Project history Simon Hengel's hpack appeared on Hackage in April 2015 with version 0.1.0. The project README describes it as a modern alternative to the Cabal package format, guided by three principles: infer obvious information, give users control when needed, and avoid repeating metadata. hpack developed alongside Cabal rather than replacing it. The executable reads `package.yaml` and renders a `.cabal` file, while its changelog tracks years of Cabal compatibility work: SPDX license handling, generated module behavior, internal libraries, `build-tool-depends`, Cabal version inference, and support for newer GHC and Cabal releases. ### Adoption history The README documents native `package.yaml` support in Stack and cabal2nix, while Hackage lists reverse dependencies including stack, pantry, cabal2nix, stack2cabal, stack-lib, and stackage2nix. That places hpack in the machinery around Haskell project templates, Stackage snapshots, and Nix conversion. Homebrew, Hackage, Stackage, and Linux distribution packaging make hpack available both as a Haskell library/program and as a standalone CLI. Its adoption is tied to `package.yaml` becoming a common Haskell project file, especially in Stack-oriented projects. ### How it is used Users write package metadata in `package.yaml`. Stack can consume that file directly, cabal2nix supports it natively, and other workflows can run `hpack` to generate the `.cabal` file before building. hpack also supports practical package-authoring features such as defaults files, globbing, verbatim Cabal fields, generated module controls, common fields, conditionals, executables, tests, benchmarks, and dependency syntax intended to keep package descriptions maintainable. ### Why package nerds care hpack is important because it sits at the contested boundary between package metadata as a human-maintained source file and package metadata as generated build-tool input. Package nerds care about that boundary: generated `.cabal` files can reduce repetition, but they also introduce questions about source-of-truth, reproducibility, diffs, and downstream tooling. Its long changelog is also a miniature history of Haskell packaging pressure points, from SPDX licenses and Cabal version syntax to generated modules and compatibility with Stack, Stackage, Nix, and newer Cabal releases. ### Timeline - 2015: Hackage records hpack 0.1.0 uploaded by Simon Hengel. - 0.18.0: The changelog adds command-line input-file handling and executable shorthand. - 0.29.0: The changelog adds Cabal 2.1/2.2-related rendering and SPDX license handling. - 0.36.0: The changelog changes `Paths_` module inference for package specs using spec-version 0.36.0 or later. - 2026: Hackage records hpack 0.39.6, adding top-level `codeberg` support. ### Related projects - Cabal is the package format and build-tool ecosystem that hpack generates into. - Stack has built-in support for hpack's `package.yaml` workflow. - cabal2nix supports `package.yaml` natively, connecting hpack to Nix packaging workflows. - Stackage-related tools such as pantry, stack2cabal, stack-lib, and stackage2nix appear in Hackage reverse-dependency metadata. ### Sources - - - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: package.yaml ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** hpack - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - hpack - 0.36.1-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: hpack from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | alternative format for Haskell packages | https://github.com/sol/hpack#readme - Nix - hpack: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: hpack from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - hpack - 0.35.2-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: hpack from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | alternative format for Haskell packages | https://github.com/sol/hpack#readme ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Package publisher tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/package-publishers/) - Belongs to a package publishing or registry command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [cabal-install](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cabal-install/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ghc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ghc/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [snapcraft](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/snapcraft/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [yeet](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/yeet/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [abi3audit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/abi3audit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [cargo-bundle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cargo-bundle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [charmcraft](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/charmcraft/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [create-dmg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/create-dmg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [flit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/flit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, packaging. - [maturin](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/maturin/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: build, build-tool, cli, developer, developer-tools. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/hpack.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/hpack.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph