Chaging the default cabal spec in cabal init from 3.0 to 3.4

[Kleidukos]

I'd like to suggest that we update the default spec that is suggested to the user upon cabal init.

Currently the user is offered

• 5. 3.0 (+ set notation for ==, common stanzas in ifs, more redundant commas, better pkgconfig-depends)

by default, but has to manually input

6. 3.4 (+ sublibraries in 'mixins', optional 'default-language')

in order to enjoy the same things + the additions of 3.4.

[Kleidukos]

Unless I'm missing something big, the change looks like this:

diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Defaults.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Defaults.hs
index 8a695d7de..6a17daa81 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Defaults.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Defaults.hs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ defaultTestDir :: String
 defaultTestDir = "test"

 defaultCabalVersion :: CabalSpecVersion
-defaultCabalVersion = CabalSpecV3_0
+defaultCabalVersion = CabalSpecV3_4

 defaultPackageType :: PackageType
 defaultPackageType = Executable
diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
index bf27eb301..34396e0f1 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ cabalVersionPrompt flags = getCabalVersion flags $ do
     parseCabalVersion "2.4" = CabalSpecV2_4
     parseCabalVersion "3.0" = CabalSpecV3_0
     parseCabalVersion "3.4" = CabalSpecV3_4
-    parseCabalVersion _ = defaultCabalVersion -- 2.4
+    parseCabalVersion _ = defaultCabalVersion -- 3.4

     displayCabalVersion :: CabalSpecVersion -> String
     displayCabalVersion v = case v of

(you'll note that the comment on parseCabalVersion _ = defaultCabalVersion hadn't been updated in quite some time.)

[andreabedini]

Is there a reason why cabal init should not always use the latest version by default?

[Kleidukos]

Perhaps if Hackage is not up-to-date between the latest version and the creation of a new package with the new spec. Beyond that I do not think I see other reasons.

[ulysses4ever]

Thank you for taking this!

It should be latest, see #8616