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opam-init(1) Opam Manual opam-init(1)

opam-init - Initialize opam state, or set init options.

opam init [OPTION]... [NAME] [ADDRESS]

Initialise the opam state, or update opam init options

The init command initialises a local "opam root" (by default, ~/.opam/) that holds opam's data and packages. This is a necessary step for normal operation of opam. The initial software repositories are fetched, and an initial 'switch' can also be installed, according to the configuration and options. These can be afterwards configured using opam switch and opam repository.

The initial repository and defaults can be set through a configuration file found at ~/.opamrc or /etc/opamrc.

Additionally, this command allows one to customise some aspects of opam's shell integration, when run initially (avoiding the interactive dialog), but also at any later time.

Address of the initial package repository, when creating a new opam root.
NAME (absent=default)
Name of the initial repository, when creating a new opam root.

-a, --auto-setup
Automatically do a full setup, including adding a line to your shell init files.
--bare
Initialise the opam state, but don't setup any compiler switch yet.
--bypass-checks
Skip checks on required or recommended tools, and assume everything is fine
-c PACKAGE, --compiler=PACKAGE
Set the compiler to install (when creating an initial switch)
--config=FILE
Use the given init config file. If repeated, latest has the highest priority (i.e. each field gets its value from where it was defined last). Specifying a URL pointing to a config file instead is allowed.
--disable-completion
Disable shell completion in opam init scripts.
--disable-sandboxing
Use a default configuration with sandboxing disabled (note that this may be overridden by `opamrc' if --no-opamrc is not specified or --config is used). Use this at your own risk, without sandboxing it is possible for a broken package script to delete all your files.
--disable-shell-hook
Disable registration of a shell hook in opam init scripts.
--dot-profile=FILENAME
Name of the configuration file to update instead of ~/.profile or ~/.zshrc based on shell detection.
--enable-completion
Setup shell completion in opam init scripts, for supported shells.
--enable-shell-hook
Setup opam init scripts to register a shell hook that will automatically keep the shell environment up-to-date at every prompt.
-i, --interactive
Run the setup interactively (this is the default for an initial run, or when no more specific options are specified)
-j JOBS, --jobs=JOBS
Set the maximal number of concurrent jobs to use. The default value is calculated from the number of cores. You can also set it using the $OPAMJOBS environment variable.
-k KIND, --kind=KIND
Specify the kind of the repository to be used (one of `http', `local', `git', `darcs' or `hg').
-n, --no-setup
Do not update the user shell configuration to setup opam. Also implies --disable-shell-hook, unless --interactive or specified otherwise
--no-opamrc
Don't read `/etc/opamrc' or `~/.opamrc': use the default settings and the files specified through --config only
--reinit
Re-run the initial checks and setup, according to opamrc, even if this is not a new opam root
--shell=SHELL
Sets the configuration mode for opam environment appropriate for SHELL. One of one of `bash', `sh', `csh', `zsh' or `fish'. Guessed from the parent processes and the $SHELL variable by default.
--shell-setup
Automatically setup the user shell configuration for opam, e.g. adding a line to the `~/.profile' file.
--show-default-opamrc
Print the built-in default configuration to stdout and exit

Any field from the built-in initial configuration can be overridden through ~/.opamrc, /etc/opamrc, or a file supplied with --config. The default configuration for this version of opam can be obtained using --show-default-opamrc.

-b, --keep-build-dir
Keep the build directories after compiling packages. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMKEEPBUILDDIR to "true".
-d, --with-doc, --build-doc
Build the package documentation. This only affects packages listed on the command-line. The --build-doc form is deprecated as this does also installation. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMWITHDOC (or the deprecated $OPAMBUILDDOC) to "true".
--dry-run
Simulate the command, but don't actually perform any changes. This also can be set with environment variable $OPAMDEBUG.
--fake
This option registers the actions into the opam database, without actually performing them. WARNING: This option is dangerous and likely to break your opam environment. You probably want `--dry-run'. You've been warned.
--ignore-constraints-on[=PACKAGES] (default=)
Forces opam to ignore version constraints on all dependencies to the listed packages. This can be used to test compatibility, but expect builds to break when using this. Note that version constraints on optional dependencies and conflicts are unaffected. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMIGNORECONSTRAINTS.
--inplace-build
When compiling a package which has its source bound to a local directory, process the build and install actions directly in that directory, rather than in a clean copy handled by opam. This only affects packages that are explicitly listed on the command-line. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMINPLACEBUILD to "true".
--locked[=SUFFIX] (default=locked)
In commands that use opam files found from pinned sources, if a variant of the file with an added .SUFFIX extension is found (e.g. foo.opam.locked besides foo.opam), that will be used instead. This is typically useful to offer a more specific set of dependencies and reproduce similar build contexts, hence the name. The opam lock plugin can be used to generate such files, based on the versions of the dependencies currently installed on the host. This is equivalent to setting the $OPAMLOCKED environment variable. Note that this option doesn't generally affect already pinned packages.
-m MAKE, --make=MAKE
Use MAKE as the default 'make' command. Deprecated: use opam config set[-global] make MAKE instead. Has no effect if the make variable is defined.
--no-checksums
Do not verify the checksum of downloaded archives.This is equivalent to setting $OPAMNOCHECKSUMS to "true".
--require-checksums
Reject the installation of packages that don't provide a checksum for the upstream archives. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMREQUIRECHECKSUMS to "true".
--reuse-build-dir
Reuse existing build directories (kept by using --keep-build-dir), instead of compiling from a fresh clone of the source. This can be faster, but also lead to failures if the build systems of the packages don't handle upgrades of dependencies well. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMREUSEBUILDDIR to "true".
--show-actions
Call the solver and display the actions. Don't perform any changes. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMSHOW.
--skip-updates
When running an install, upgrade or reinstall on source-pinned packages, they are normally updated from their origin first. This flag disables that behaviour and will keep them to their version in cache. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMSKIPUPDATE.
-t, --with-test, --build-test
Build and run the package unit-tests. This only affects packages listed on the command-line. The --build-test form is deprecated as this also affects installation. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMWITHTEST (or the deprecated $OPAMBUILDTEST) to "true".
--unlock-base
Allow changes to the packages set as switch base (typically, the main compiler). Use with caution. This is equivalent to setting the $OPAMUNLOCKBASE environment variable

These options are common to all commands.

--best-effort
Don't fail if all requested packages can't be installed: try to install as many as possible. Note that not all external solvers may support this option (recent versions of aspcud or mccs should). This is equivalent to setting $OPAMBESTEFFORT environment variable.
--color=WHEN
Colorize the output. WHEN must be one of `always', `never' or `auto'.
--criteria=CRITERIA
Specify user preferences for dependency solving for this run. Overrides both $OPAMCRITERIA and $OPAMUPGRADECRITERIA. For details on the supported language, and the external solvers available, see http://opam.ocaml.org/doc/External_solvers.html. A general guide to using solver preferences can be found at http://www.dicosmo.org/Articles/usercriteria.pdf.
--cudf=FILENAME
Debug option: Save the CUDF requests sent to the solver to FILENAME-<n>.cudf.
--debug
Print debug message to stderr. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMDEBUG to "true".
--debug-level=LEVEL
Like --debug, but allows specifying the debug level (--debug sets it to 1). Equivalent to setting $OPAMDEBUG to a positive integer.
--git-version
Print the git version of opam, if set (i.e. you are using a development version), and exit.
--help[=FMT] (default=auto)
Show this help in format FMT. The value FMT must be one of `auto', `pager', `groff' or `plain'. With `auto', the format is `pager` or `plain' whenever the TERM env var is `dumb' or undefined.
--ignore-pin-depends
Ignore extra pins required by packages that get pinned, either manually through opam pin or through opam install DIR. This is equivalent to setting IGNOREPINDEPENDS=true.
--json=FILENAME
Save the results of the opam run in a computer-readable file. If the filename contains the character `%', it will be replaced by an index that doesn't overwrite an existing file. Similar to setting the $OPAMJSON variable.
--no-aspcud
Deprecated.
--no-auto-upgrade
When configuring or updating a repository that is written for an earlier opam version (1.2), opam internally converts it to the current format. This disables this behaviour. Note that repositories should define their format version in a 'repo' file at their root, or they will be assumed to be in the older format. It is, in any case, preferable to upgrade the repositories manually using opam admin upgrade [--mirror URL] when possible.
--no-self-upgrade
Opam will replace itself with a newer binary found at OPAMROOT/opam if present. This disables this behaviour.
-q, --quiet
Disables --verbose.
--root=ROOT
Use ROOT as the current root path. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMROOT to ROOT.
--safe, --readonly
Make sure nothing will be automatically updated or rewritten. Useful for calling from completion scripts, for example. Will fail whenever such an operation is needed ; also avoids waiting for locks, skips interactive questions and overrides the $OPAMDEBUG variable. This is equivalent to set environment variable $OPAMSAFE.
--solver=CMD
Specify the CUDF solver to use for resolving package installation problems. This is either a predefined solver (this version of opam supports builtin-dummy-solver, mccs, aspcud, aspcud-old, packup), or a custom command that should contain the variables %{input}%, %{output}%, %{criteria}%, and optionally %{timeout}%. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMEXTERNALSOLVER.
--strict
Fail whenever an error is found in a package definition or a configuration file. The default is to continue silently if possible.
--switch=SWITCH
Use SWITCH as the current compiler switch. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMSWITCH to SWITCH.
--use-internal-solver
Disable any external solver, and use the built-in one (this requires that opam has been compiled with a built-in solver). This is equivalent to setting $OPAMNOASPCUD or $OPAMUSEINTERNALSOLVER.
-v, --verbose
Be more verbose. One -v shows all package commands, repeat to also display commands called internally (e.g. tar, curl, patch etc.) Repeating n times is equivalent to setting $OPAMVERBOSE to "n".
--version
Show version information.
-w, --working-dir
Whenever updating packages that are bound to a local, version-controlled directory, update to the current working state of their source instead of the last committed state, or the ref they are pointing to. This only affects packages explicitly listed on the command-line.It can also be set with $OPAMWORKINGDIR.
-y, --yes
Answer yes to all yes/no questions without prompting. This is equivalent to setting $OPAMYES to "true".

Opam makes use of the environment variables listed here. Boolean variables should be set to "0", "no", "false" or the empty string to disable, "1", "yes" or "true" to enable.

OPAMALLPARENS surround all filters with parenthesis

OPAMAUTOREMOVE see remove option `--auto-remove`

OPAMBESTEFFORT see option `--best-effort`

OPAMBESTEFFORTPREFIXCRITERIA sets the string that must be prepended to the criteria when the `--best-effort` option is set, and is expected to maximise the `opam-query` property in the solution

OPAMCOLOR, when set to always or never, sets a default value for the --color option.

OPAMCRITERIA specifies user preferences for dependency solving. The default value depends on the solver version, use `config report` to know the current setting. See also option --criteria

OPAMCUDFFILE file save the cudf graph to file-actions-explicit.dot

OPAMCURL can be used to select a given 'curl' program. See OPAMFETCH for more options.

OPAMDEBUG see options `--debug' and `--debug-level'.

OPAMDOWNLOADJOBS sets the maximum number of simultaneous downloads.

OPAMDRYRUN see option `--dry-run`

OPAMEDITOR sets the editor to use for opam file editing, overrides $EDITOR and $VISUAL

OPAMERRLOGLEN sets the number of log lines printed when a sub-process fails. 0 to print all.

OPAMEXTERNALSOLVER see option `--solver'.

OPAMFAKE see option `--fake`

OPAMFETCH specifies how to download files: either `wget', `curl' or a custom command where variables %{url}%, %{out}%, %{retry}%, %{compress}% and %{checksum}% will be replaced. Overrides the 'download-command' value from the main config file.

OPAMFIXUPCRITERIA same as OPAMUPGRADECRITERIA, but specific to fixup

OPAMIGNORECONSTRAINTS see install option `--ignore-constraints-on`

OPAMIGNOREPINDEPENDS see option `--ignore-pin-depends`

OPAMJOBS sets the maximum number of parallel workers to run.

OPAMJSON log json output to the given file (use character `%' to index the files)

OPAMLOCKED see install option `--locked`

OPAMLOGS logdir sets log directory, default is a temporary directory in /tmp

OPAMMAKECMD set the system make command to use

OPAMNOAUTOUPGRADE disables automatic internal upgrade of repositories in an earlier format to the current one, on 'update' or 'init'.

OPAMKEEPLOGS tells opam to not remove some temporary command logs and some backups. This skips some finalisers and may also help to get more reliable backtraces

OPAMLOCKRETRIES sets the number of tries after which opam gives up acquiring its lock and fails. <= 0 means infinite wait.

OPAMMERGEOUT merge process outputs, stderr on stdout

OPAMNO answer no to any question asked.

OPAMNOASPCUD Deprecated.

OPAMNOCHECKSUMS enables option --no-checksums when available.

OPAMNOSELFUPGRADE see option `--no-self-upgrade'.

OPAMPINKINDAUTO sets whether version control systems should be detected when pinning to a local path. Enabled by default since 1.3.0.

OPAMPRECISETRACKING fine grain tracking of directories

OPAMREQUIRECHECKSUMS Enables option `--require-checksums' when available (e.g. for `opam install`).

OPAMRETRES sets the number of tries before failing downloads.

OPAMROOT see option `--root'. This is automatically set by `opam env --root=DIR --set-root'.

OPAMROOTISOK don't complain when running as root.

OPAMSAFE see option `--safe'

OPAMSHOW see option `--show`

OPAMSKIPUPDATE see option `--skip-updates`

OPAMSKIPVERSIONCHECKS bypasses some version checks. Unsafe, for compatibility testing only.

OPAMSOLVERTIMEOUT change the time allowance of the solver. Default is 60.0, set to 0 for unlimited. Note that all solvers may not support this option.

OPAMSTATUSLINE display a dynamic status line showing what's currently going on on the terminal. (one of one of `always', `never' or `auto')

OPAMSTATS display stats at the end of command

OPAMSTRICT fail on inconsistencies (file reading, switch import, etc.)

OPAMSWITCH see option `--switch'. Automatically set by `opam env --switch=SWITCH --set-switch'.

OPAMUNLOCKBASE see install option `--unlock-base`

OPAMUPGRADECRITERIA specifies user preferences for dependency solving when performing an upgrade. Overrides OPAMCRITERIA in upgrades if both are set. See also option --criteria

OPAMUSEINTERNALSOLVER see option `--use-internal-solver'.

OPAMUSEOPENSSL force openssl use for hash computing

OPAMUTF8 use UTF8 characters in output (one of one of `always', `never' or `auto'). By default `auto', which is determined from the locale).

OPAMUTF8MSGS use extended UTF8 characters (camels) in opam messages. Implies OPAMUTF8. This is set by default on OSX only.

OPAMVALIDATIONHOOK hook if set, uses the `%{hook%}` command to validate an opam repository update

OPAMVAR_var overrides the contents of the variable var when substituting `%{var}%` strings in `opam` files.

OPAMVAR_package_var overrides the contents of the variable package:var when substituting `%{package:var}%` strings in `opam` files.

OPAMVERBOSE see option `--verbose'.

OPAMWORKINGDIR see option `--working-dir`

OPAMYES see option `--yes'.

As an exception to the following, the `exec' command returns 127 if the command was not found or couldn't be executed, and the command's exit value otherwise.

0
Success, or true for boolean queries.
1
False. Returned when a boolean return value is expected, e.g. when running with --check, or for queries like opam lint.
2
Bad command-line arguments, or command-line arguments pointing to an invalid context (e.g. file not following the expected format).
5
Not found. You requested something (package, version, repository, etc.) that couldn't be found.
10
Aborted. The operation required confirmation, which wasn't given.
15
Could not acquire the locks required for the operation.
20
There is no solution to the user request. This can be caused by asking to install two incompatible packages, for example.
30
Error in package definition, or other metadata files. Using --strict raises this error more often.
31
Package script error. Some package operations were unsuccessful. This may be an error in the packages or an incompatibility with your system. This can be a partial error.
40
Sync error. Could not fetch some remotes from the network. This can be a partial error.
50
Configuration error. Opam or system configuration doesn't allow operation, and needs fixing.
60
Solver failure. The solver failed to return a sound answer. It can be due to a broken external solver, or an error in solver configuration.
99
Internal error. Something went wrong, likely due to a bug in opam itself.
130
User interrupt. SIGINT was received, generally due to the user pressing Ctrl-C.

See https://opam.ocaml.org/doc.

Vincent Bernardoff <vb@luminar.eu.org>

Raja Boujbel <raja.boujbel@ocamlpro.com>

Roberto Di Cosmo <roberto@dicosmo.org>

Thomas Gazagnaire <thomas@gazagnaire.org>

Louis Gesbert <louis.gesbert@ocamlpro.com>

Fabrice Le Fessant <Fabrice.Le_fessant@inria.fr>

Anil Madhavapeddy <anil@recoil.org>

Guillem Rieu <guillem.rieu@ocamlpro.com>

Ralf Treinen <ralf.treinen@pps.jussieu.fr>

Frederic Tuong <tuong@users.gforge.inria.fr>

Check bug reports at https://github.com/ocaml/opam/issues.

Opam 2.0.3