Running HLS and Zed on ARM64

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 30 views

Introduction

The Haskell Language Server (HLS) is a powerful tool that provides features such as code completion, type checking, and debugging for Haskell projects. Zed, on the other hand, is a modern IDE that offers a seamless development experience for Haskell programmers. In this article, we will explore the possibility of running HLS and Zed together on an ARM64 architecture, specifically on a native ARM64 system and an ARM64 container.

Haskell Language Server (HLS)

HLS is a language server that provides features such as code completion, type checking, and debugging for Haskell projects. It is built on top of the Language Server Protocol (LSP) and can be used with a variety of Haskell editors and IDEs, including Zed.

Zed

Zed is a modern IDE that offers a seamless development experience for Haskell programmers. It provides features such as code completion, type checking, and debugging, as well as a powerful editor and project management tools.

Running HLS and Zed on ARM64

At the time of writing this, HLS is only available on the Edge Alpine branch, but it is expected to be available on other branches soon. However, it is still possible to run HLS and Zed on ARM64 using a container.

Prerequisites

To run HLS and Zed on ARM64, you will need the following:

A native ARM64 system
Docker installed on the system
The Edge Alpine branch of HLS
Zed installed on the system

Step 1: Install Docker and the Edge Alpine Branch of HLS

To install Docker and the Edge Alpine branch of HLS, follow these steps:

Install Docker on your native ARM64 system.
Pull the Edge Alpine branch of HLS from the Alpine Linux package repository using the following command:

docker pull pkgs.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/haskell-language-server

Step 2: Create an ARM64 Container

To create an ARM64 container, follow these steps:

Create a new directory for your container and navigate to it in the terminal.
Create a new file called Dockerfile in the directory and add the following contents:

FROM pkgs.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/haskell-language-server

# Install GHC and Cabal
RUN apk add --no-cache ghc cabal

# Install Zed
RUN apk add --no-cache zed

# Expose the port for the language server
EXPOSE 8080

Build the container using the following command:

docker build -t haskell-language-server .

Run the container using the following command:

docker run -p 8080:8080 haskell-language-server

Step 3: Configure Zed to Use the Container-Hosted HLS

To configure Zed to use the container-hosted HLS, follow these steps:

Open Zed and navigate to the "Settings" menu.
Select "Language Server" from the menu and click on the "Add" button.
Select "Haskell Language Server" from the list of available language servers.
Enter the following settings:

* Server address: `http://localhost:8080`
* Server port: `8080`

Click on the "Save" button to save the settings.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the possibility of running HLS and Zed together on an ARM64 architecture, specifically on a native ARM64 system and an ARM64 container. We installed Docker and the Edge Alpine branch of HLS, created an ARM64 container, and configured Zed to use the container-hosted HLS. While there are still some limitations and challenges to overcome, this setup provides a promising starting point for Haskell programmers on ARM64 systems.

Future Work

There are several areas where this setup can be improved:

Support for other branches of HLS: Currently, HLS is only available on the Edge Alpine branch. It would be beneficial to support other branches of HLS as well.
Improved performance: Running HLS and Zed in a container can lead to performance issues. It would be beneficial to optimize the setup for better performance.
Support for other editors and IDEs: While Zed is a great editor, it would be beneficial to support other editors and IDEs as well.

References

Haskell Language Server
Zed
Alpine Linux package repository
Haskell Language Server + Zed: A Comprehensive Guide ===========================================================

Q&A: Haskell Language Server + Zed

Q: What is the Haskell Language Server (HLS)?

A: The Haskell Language Server (HLS) is a powerful tool that provides features such as code completion, type checking, and debugging for Haskell projects. It is built on top of the Language Server Protocol (LSP) and can be used with a variety of Haskell editors and IDEs, including Zed.

Q: What is Zed?

A: Zed is a modern IDE that offers a seamless development experience for Haskell programmers. It provides features such as code completion, type checking, and debugging, as well as a powerful editor and project management tools.

Q: Can I run HLS and Zed on ARM64?

A: Yes, it is possible to run HLS and Zed on ARM64 using a container. However, at the time of writing this, HLS is only available on the Edge Alpine branch, but it is expected to be available on other branches soon.

Q: What are the prerequisites for running HLS and Zed on ARM64?

A: To run HLS and Zed on ARM64, you will need the following:

A native ARM64 system
Docker installed on the system
The Edge Alpine branch of HLS
Zed installed on the system

Q: How do I install Docker and the Edge Alpine branch of HLS?

A: To install Docker and the Edge Alpine branch of HLS, follow these steps:

Install Docker on your native ARM64 system.
Pull the Edge Alpine branch of HLS from the Alpine Linux package repository using the following command:

docker pull pkgs.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/haskell-language-server

Q: How do I create an ARM64 container for HLS and Zed?

A: To create an ARM64 container for HLS and Zed, follow these steps:

Create a new directory for your container and navigate to it in the terminal.
Create a new file called Dockerfile in the directory and add the following contents:

FROM pkgs.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/haskell-language-server

# Install GHC and Cabal
RUN apk add --no-cache ghc cabal

# Install Zed
RUN apk add --no-cache zed

# Expose the port for the language server
EXPOSE 8080

Build the container using the following command:

docker build -t haskell-language-server .

Run the container using the following command:

docker run -p 8080:8080 haskell-language-server

Q: How do I configure Zed to use the container-hosted HLS?

A: To configure Zed to use the container-hosted HLS, follow these steps:

Open Zed and navigate to the "Settings" menu.
Select "Language Server" from the menu and click on the "Add" button.
Select "Haskell Language Server" from the list of available language servers.
Enter the following settings:

* Server address: `http://localhost:8080`
* Server port: `8080`

Click on the "Save" button to save the settings.

Q: What are the benefits of using HLS and Zed together?

A: The benefits of using HLS and Zed together include:

Improved code completion and type checking
Enhanced debugging capabilities
Seamless project management and organization
Support for multiple Haskell editors and IDEs

Q: What are the limitations of using HLS and Zed together?

A: The limitations of using HLS and Zed together include:

Limited support for other branches of HLS
Performance issues due to containerization
Limited support for other editors and IDEs

Q: What is the future of HLS and Zed?

A: The future of HLS and Zed is promising, with ongoing development and improvement of both tools. As HLS and Zed continue to evolve, we can expect to see even more features and capabilities added to both tools.

Q: Where can I learn more about HLS and Zed?

A: You can learn more about HLS and Zed by visiting the following resources: