Building/Preparation/Linux

  1. Setting up a Linux system for building GHC
    1. Fedora
    2. Debian, Ubuntu, and other Debian-based systems

Setting up a Linux system for building GHC

If you're on a recent Linux system, then you should be able to get a working build environment by installing the following packages using your system's package manager.

Fedora

  • glibc-devel
  • ncurses-devel
  • gmp-devel
  • autoconf
  • automake
  • libtool
  • gcc
  • make
  • perl
  • python
  • ghc
  • happy
  • alex
  • git

For building the documentation: (User's Guide and Cabal guide):

  • docbook-utils
  • docbook-utils-pdf
  • docbook-style-xsl

other packages that are useful for development:

  • strace
  • patch

Debian, Ubuntu, and other Debian-based systems

(tested on Ubuntu 11.10)

You can make sure you have all dependencies by 

   sudo apt-get build-dep ghc6

But this might install some packages you do not use in your system (e.g. lintian). Alternatively install the following: 

   sudo apt-get install haskell-platform git autoconf libtool make ncurses-dev g++

(ncurses-dev is needed by the terminfo package, and g++ is needed by a couple of tests, ghcilink003 and ghcilink006).

For building the documentation (User's Guide): 

   sudo apt-get install dblatex docbook-xsl docbook-utils

other packages that are useful for development: 

   sudo apt-get install linux-tools

(includes perf, see Debugging/LowLevelProfiling/Perf)