# GHC 9.2.1-alpha1 now available

**URL:** https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286
**Category:** Announcements
**Created:** [April 1, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286 "2021-04-01T16:43:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![bgamari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/bgamari/32/3599_2.png) [@bgamari](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/bgamari)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/1 "2021-04-01T16:43:43Z")

</div>

The GHC developers are very happy to announce the availability of the first alpha release in the 9.2.1 series. Binary distributions, source distributions, and documentation are available from [downloads.haskell.org](https://downloads.haskell.org/ghc/9.2.1-alpha1).

GHC 9.2 will bring a number of exciting features including:

- Many changes in the area of records, including the new `RecordDotSyntax` and `NoFieldSelectors` language extensions, as well as Support for `DuplicateRecordFields` with `PatternSynonyms`.

- Introduction of the new `GHC2021` language extension set, giving users convenient access to a larger set of language extensions which have been long considered stable.

- Merge of `ghc-exactprint` into the GHC tree, providing infrastructure for source-to-source program rewriting out-of-the-box.

- Introduction of a `BoxedRep` `RuntimeRep`, allowing for polymorphism over levity of boxed objects (#17526)

- Implementation of the [`UnliftedDataTypes` extension](https://github.com/ghc-proposals/ghc-proposals/blob/master/proposals/0265-unlifted-datatypes.rst), allowing users to define types which do not admit lazy evaluation

- The new [-hi profiling](https://well-typed.com/blog/2021/01/first-look-at-hi-profiling-mode/) mechanism which provides significantly improved insight into thunk leaks.

- Support for the [`ghc-debug`](http://ghc.gitlab.haskell.org/ghc-debug/) out-of-process heap inspection library

- Support for profiling of pinned objects with the cost-centre profiler (#7275)

- Introduction of Haddock documentation support in TemplateHaskell (#5467)

In addition, the final 9.2.1 release will bring a new native code generator for ARM, providing fast, first-class for Haskell on [Apple ARM hardware](https://www.haskell.org/ghc/blog/20210309-apple-m1-story.html), although this functionality is not yet present in this alpha.

As always, do give this a try and open a [ticket](https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc/-/issues/new) if you see anything amiss.

Happy testing!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DanBurton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/danburton/32/879_2.png) [@DanBurton](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/DanBurton)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/2 "2021-04-02T00:10:49Z")

</div>

Awesome! Lots of cool stuff in there.

Can you comment on the state of this unsafePerformIO issue?

> **[\#19413: unsafePerformIO/NOINLINE tricks no longer work · Issues · Glasgow...](https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc/-/issues/19413)**
>
> Summary Starting with GHC 9.0.1, the following program:

Is it addressed in 9.2.1-alpha1? Is there an expected release date for 9.0.2 with the backported fix?

[Edit]: answers are “yes” and “shortly”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![sjakobi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/sjakobi/32/614_2.png) [@sjakobi](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/sjakobi)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 4:39am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/3 "2021-04-02T04:39:23Z")

</div>

The same question was asked in the r/haskell thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/haskell/comments/mhzf9l/announce\_ghc\_921alpha1\_now\_available/gt2kz85/](https://www.reddit.com/r/haskell/comments/mhzf9l/announce_ghc_921alpha1_now_available/gt2kz85/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![tomjaguarpaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/tomjaguarpaw/32/1230_2.png) [@tomjaguarpaw](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/tomjaguarpaw)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 11:06am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/4 "2021-04-02T11:06:28Z")

</div>

I’m curious why this is not called 9.1.x. Do odd-numbered releases exist at all?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![jxxcarlson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/jxxcarlson/32/1406_2.png) [@jxxcarlson](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/jxxcarlson)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/5 "2021-04-02T11:18:05Z")

</div>

First off: fantastic!!

Second, I’m having two problems installing on Mac OS with M1 chip (I’m a noob).

PROBLEM1 (permissions)

➜ ghc-9.2.0.20210331 make install  
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/make --no-print-directory -f ghc.mk install BINDIST=YES NO\_INCLUDE\_DEPS=YES  
Configured with: --prefix=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr --with-gxx-include-dir=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/4.2.1  
/usr/bin/install -c -m 755 -d “/usr/local/bin”  
install: chmod 755 /usr/local/bin: Operation not permitted  
“rm” -f “/usr/local/bin/hp2ps”  
rm: /usr/local/bin/hp2ps: Permission denied  
make[1]: \*\*\* [install\_utils/hp2ps\_dist-install\_wrapper] Error 1  
make: \*\*\* [install] Error 2

ATTEMPTED SOLUTION: use sudo, even though this is not recommended (???)

PROBLEM 2. I use sudo, but then get this annoying Apple message:

“ghc-cabal cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified …”

My only options are “Cancel”, “Move to trash” (Ugh!)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![taylorfausak](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/taylorfausak/32/54_2.png) [@taylorfausak](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/taylorfausak)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 11:32am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/6 "2021-04-02T11:32:29Z")

</div>

I can’t find a more authoritative source, but GHC releases are always even numbers: 9.2, 9.0, 8.10, 8.8, and so on.

> **[releases · Wiki · Glasgow Haskell Compiler / GHC · GitLab](https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc/-/wikis/working-conventions/releases#major-releases)**
>
> The Glorious Glasgow Haskell Compiler.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DanBurton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/danburton/32/879_2.png) [@DanBurton](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/DanBurton)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/8 "2021-04-02T19:10:30Z")

</div>

And answered, nice. Answers are “yes” and “shortly”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![adamgundry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/34f0e0/32.png) [@adamgundry](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/adamgundry)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/9 "2021-04-02T19:33:11Z")

</div>

Odd numbers are used for development versions (i.e. 9.1… refers to a development version later than the 9.0.1 release branch and earlier than the 9.2.1 branch). This was discussed recently on ghc-devs: [https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc-devs/2021-March/019575.html](https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc-devs/2021-March/019575.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![tomjaguarpaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/tomjaguarpaw/32/1230_2.png) [@tomjaguarpaw](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/tomjaguarpaw)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/10 "2021-04-02T20:07:40Z")

</div>

I think I was insufficiently clear. I know that GHC stable releases are always even-numbered. I’m just wondering why instead of an alpha release being called `9.2.1-alpha1` it not be called `9.1.x`. Anyway, this is a just a minor curiosity of no real importance.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![bgamari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/bgamari/32/3599_2.png) [@bgamari](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/bgamari)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/11 "2021-04-03T01:21:14Z")

</div>

> [@DanBurton](#):
>
> Is it addressed in 9.2.1-alpha1? Is there an expected release date for 9.0.2 with the backported fix?

It is indeed addressed in 9.2.1-alpha1. A 9.0.2 release with the same fix should be out soon; I just need to sort out a regression in `text` first.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![bgamari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.haskell.org/bgamari/32/3599_2.png) [@bgamari](https://discourse.haskell.org/u/bgamari)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/ghc-9-2-1-alpha1-now-available/2286/12 "2021-04-03T01:22:50Z")

</div>

It sounds like this is due to the fact that the binary distribution is not notarized. Try running `xattrs -cd` on the extracted binary distribution directory before attempting to install.
