Question 1

Stack vs Cabal: which is better for Haskell beginners?

Accepted Answer

Stack is often recommended for beginners due to its reproducible builds and easier setup, while Cabal offers more control but requires manual dependency management. For learning, Stack's consistency helps avoid common build issues.

Question 2

How to set up a new Haskell project with Stack?

Accepted Answer

Install Stack from haskellstack.org, then run 'stack new project-name' to generate a template with stack.yaml and Cabal files. Follow the README's guidance to customize dependencies and start coding.

Question 3

Why is my Stack build failing with dependency errors?

Accepted Answer

This often happens if packages aren't in the Stackage snapshot. Check stack.yaml for the resolver version and add extra-deps for missing packages. Consulting the community forums, as mentioned in the README, can provide specific solutions.

Question 4

Can I use Stack with existing Cabal projects?

Accepted Answer

Yes, use 'stack init' to generate a stack.yaml file from your .cabal file. However, you might need to adjust dependencies to align with Stackage snapshots, which can involve manual tweaking.

Question 5

How to update GHC in a Stack project?

Accepted Answer

Change the resolver field in stack.yaml to a newer Stackage snapshot that includes the desired GHC version, then run 'stack build' to rebuild dependencies. Always backup your configuration first.

Question 6

Does Stack work with all Haskell libraries on Hackage?

Accepted Answer

Stack primarily uses packages from Stackage snapshots, which are curated subsets. You can add extra-deps for Hackage packages not in snapshots, but this may complicate dependency management.

Stack

What is Stack?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

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Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions