GHCup

Overview

GHCup installs and manages the main Haskell tools. It is a strong fit for developers who want one version manager for that toolchain, including in CI/CD. Windows, older macOS releases and some ARM binaries need extra care.

Key features

GHCup manages versions of GHC, cabal-install, Haskell Language Server (HLS) and Stack. Stack can use GHC versions installed by GHCup, which helps keep those tools within one managed setup. Shell integration and CI/CD usage are supported, and the FAQ also identifies a text-based interface and GHC cross-compilation.

Configuration can live in ~/.ghcup/config.yaml, with command-line options taking precedence. The notable gap is project-level automation: GHCup does not pin versions by project or switch versions automatically. Developers who need those behaviors should plan to manage selection themselves or choose another approach.

On Linux, GHCup relies on precompiled binaries, so missing libtinfo and other distribution compatibility issues can interrupt setup. Its Linux support is for distributions compatible with upstream GHC binaries. When using Stack setup-info metadata, compatible HLS binaries are not guaranteed, and Stack's latest and recommended shortcuts do not work.

Pricing

GHCup is open source and free. Its sole plan, GHCup, costs nothing and covers Haskell toolchain installation and management. There is no trial or paid tier; there are no seat counts, quotas or renewal terms to weigh. The free plan provides the same focused toolchain management without a paid upgrade path.

Platforms

Installation instructions cover Linux, macOS, FreeBSD and WSL2, with PowerShell instructions for Windows. On Unix-like systems, run the installer as a non-root user; on Windows, use a non-admin account. macOS may prompt for command line tools, and Windows installation should set up msys2.

Windows support is in its early stages. GHCup uses a shim wrapper because Windows does not properly support symbolic links, and WSL1 is unsupported. macOS releases earlier than 10.13 are also unsupported. HLS binaries on macOS aarch64, and Stack and HLS binaries on Linux ARM, are experimental. Those limits make GHCup a less predictable choice on those configurations than on compatible mainstream systems.

Who it's for

GHCup suits Haskell developers who need to install or update the language compiler and its companion tools on a supported system, including users bringing the toolchain into CI/CD. It is less suitable for developers who depend on automatic per-project version changes, Windows users who need mature support, or anyone relying on the unsupported or experimental configurations above.

Pros and cons

Pros: Manages GHC, cabal-install, HLS and Stack together, and lets Stack use GHCup-managed GHC versions.

Pros: Free and open source, with shell integration and CI/CD use supported.

Pros: Offers configuration-file settings, a text-based interface and GHC cross-compilation functionality.

Cons: No project version pinning or automatic switching, so version selection is not handled for each project.

Cons: Windows support remains early-stage, while WSL1 and macOS earlier than 10.13 are unsupported.

Cons: Some ARM binaries are experimental; Linux binary compatibility and Stack's HLS metadata caveat can complicate setup.

Alternatives

For another language-focused version manager, Jabba manages Java versions and supports Linux, macOS and Windows. Choose it for Java rather than Haskell. rustup is the corresponding free option for Rust on those three operating systems.

GVM manages Go versions and supports Linux and macOS; it is a better fit when Go is the target. nvm manages Node.js versions and covers Linux, macOS, self-hosted environments and Windows, making it the relevant alternative for Node.js toolchains. fnm is another free option for version management on Linux, macOS and Windows.

axe-playwright is free and supports Linux and web, with Playwright as a peer dependency. ClearerVoice-Studio and RVM are also listed as free options spanning Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows; their short descriptions do not give a more specific basis for choosing between them.

For broader browsing, see Runtime Version Managers or Development Environment Managers.

Verdict

Choose GHCup if you want a free, open-source way to manage the main Haskell tools together, particularly on a system compatible with upstream GHC binaries. Its breadth across the core toolchain is the main reason to choose it; the lack of project-level pinning and switching, alongside Windows and ARM caveats, is the reason to look elsewhere when those requirements matter.