The Coq proof assistant provides a formal language to write mathematical definitions, executable algorithms, and theorems, together with an environment for semi-interactive development of machine-checked proofs.
The Coq Platform is a distribution of Coq together with a selection of libraries and plugins. The main goal of the Coq Platform is to provide a distribution for developing and teaching with Coq that is:
- operating system independent
- dependable
- easy to install
- comprehensive
See the Charter for more on the Platform concept, and CEP 52 for more on how the Platform is related to the Coq release cycle.
The Coq Platform is based on the OCaml package manager opam and provides a set of scripts to compile and/or install opam, Coq and the platform contents on macOS, Windows and many Linux distributions in a reliable way with consistent results. In addition pre-compiled binary packages or installers are provided for macOS, Windows and snap for Linux (Docker is in preparation).
The Coq Platform supports installing several versions of Coq - also in parallel, e.g., for porting developments from one version of Coq to another. For the previous release version of Coq, Coq Platform provides extended and updated package picks which are as much as possible compatible to the pick of the latest release version of Coq. For this reason for some Coq versions several different package picks are provided.
The table below contains links to the README files for the supported versions of Coq and libraries. Each README file contains a list of included packages with detailed information for each package.
- Coq 8.16.0 (released Sep 2022) with a beta package pick from Oct 2022
- Coq 8.15.2 (released Jun 2022) with a beta package pick from Oct 2022
- Coq 8.15.2 (released Jun 2022) with the first package pick from Apr 2022
- Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with an updated package pick from Apr 2022
- Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with the first package pick from Jan 2022
- Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an updated package pick from Jan 2022
- Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an updated package pick from Sep 2021
- Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with original package pick from Feb 2021
- Coq 8.12.2 (released Dec 2020)
- Coq Developer (latest developer branch)
If you have questions on the Coq Platform, please contact us on zulip chat Coq-Platform & users
The Coq platform is the recommended way to install Coq for both beginners and experts. Beginners are encouraged to use one of the binary installers. Experienced users are advised to run the scripts provided by the Coq platform to install from sources as this will allow them to install additional packages with opam. Please refer to the ReadMe file for your operating system, which contains information on both methods respectively.
- macOS: see README_macOS.
- Windows: see README_Windows
- Linux: see README_Linux.
Licenses
The Coq Platform setup scripts and the selection of package recipes and patches are licensed Creative Commons CC0. This license does not apply to the packages installed by the Coq Platform. The README files linked above provide license information for each package. This information is also available as .CSV files here doc. Please note that the license information is obtained from opam. The Coq Platform team does no double check this information.
Release notes / changelog
- added a "coq-shell" on macOS, Windows and Snap installers
- the coq-shell starts a shell or CMD window with environment set to use the installed Coq
- on macOS, the DMG installer contains a
coq-shell.commandfile one can copy e.g. to the desktop - see macOS for details - on Windows a
coq-shell.batfile is installed and added to the start menu - see Windows - on Linux/Snap there are two methods to start a Coq shell - see Linux
- added a
coq-env.shfile on macOS and Linux/Snap to be used witheval- see macOS and Linux for details - on macOS the installer should now work for macOS down to version 10.13 - this is not much tested, though - bug reports are welcome
- many small usability improvements and bug fixes
- beta package pick for Coq 8.16.0 with many package version updates and these additions:
- added
coq-itauto.8.16.0to the "full" level - moved
coq-mathcomp-algebra-tacticsfrom "extended" to "full" level after update to1.0.0 - added
coq-mathcomp-word.1.1to the "full" level - added
coq-metacoq.1.1+8.16to the "extended" level - added
coq-fiat-crypto.0.0.15to the "extended" level - added
coq-bedrock2.0.0.3to the "extended" level - added
coq-bedrock2-compiler.0.0.3to the "extended" level - added
coq-rupicola.0.0.5to the "extended" level - added
coq-coqutil.0.0.2to the "extended" level - added
coq-rewriter.0.0.6to the "extended" level - added
coq-riscv.0.0.2to the "extended" level - removed the Flocq3 based packages
- added
Please see the Pick Readme for details on new and updated packages.
Note on coq-quickchick: QuickChick requires an OCaml compiler to run. The binary installers for Coq Platform do not
provide OCaml, so QuickChick does not work with the binary installers for macOS, Windows and Snap.
It is recommended to use the "compile from sources" method if you want to use QuickChick.
An alternative method is to install OCaml by other means and have it in the PATH, but this method is not supported by the Coq Platform team.
We plan to add an OCaml compiler to the binary installers in the next release.
Note on coq-serapi: Installed versions (not compiled from sources versions) of serapi tools might require a --coqlib=$(coqc -where) or equivalent option to run.
- release package pick for Coq 8.15.2 with many package version updates
- a package pick for Coq 8.14.1, which is as much as possible compatible with the 8.15.2 pick
- re-enabled QuickChick on Windows (please see notes below)
- added
coq-ottandottto the "full" level - added
coq-relation-algebrato the "full" level - added
coq-mathcomp-algebra-tacticsto the "extended" level - added
coq-extructuresto the "extended" level - many small usability improvements and fixes
Please see the Pick Readme for details on new and updated packages.
Note on macOS: CoqIDE was previously wrapped in a shell script to set the environment, which had the effect that
it could not access the documents folder. This script has been replaced with a simple C program, so this should work now.
Note on coq-flocq: there is a new version 4.0 for coq-flocq which is not compatible with the previous 3.X versions.
Since some packages are not yet compatible with Flocq 4.0, notably coq-compcert, the 2022.04 picks contain both,
coq-flocq.4.0.0 and coq-flocq.3.4.3. Since one cannot install two version of one package, a new package called coq-flocq3
has been added which uses Flocq3 rather than Flocq as logical path. This way Flocq 3.X can be selected by using Flocq3
in the Require commands and Flocq 4.X can be selected by using Flocq in the Require commands.
The package coq-compcert has been patched to require Flocq3.
For convenience the proof automation packages used for float proofs, coq-gappa and coq-interval are also available in
a Flocq 3.X and Flocq 4.X variant. The Flocq 4.X variants have the usual logical path, the 3.X variants use the logical paths
IntervalFlocq3 and GappaFlocq3.
Note on coq-quickchick: QuickChick requires an OCaml compiler to run. The binary installers for Coq Platform do not
provide OCaml, so QuickChick does not work with the binary installers for macOS, Windows and Snap.
It is recommended to use the "compile from sources" method if you want to use QuickChick.
An alternative method is to install OCaml by other means and have it in the PATH, but this method is not supported by the Coq Platform team.
We plan to add an OCaml compiler to the binary installers in the next release.
- release package pick for Coq 8.14.0 + updated mostly compatible package pick for Coq 8.13.2
- beta package pick for Coq 8.15.0
- added
coq-hammer(not on Windows) including the proversz3andeprover - added prime number certificate generator
coq-coqprime-generatorincludinggmp-ecm - disabled QuickChick on Windows (it did not really work on Windows - we try to make it work in the next release)
- support for multiple versions of Coq (currently 8.12.2, 8.13.2, 8.14+rc1, dev)
- parallel installation of several versions of Coq is possible - each version creates a separate opam switch
- new substantially extended package pick for Coq 8.13.2 (the original pick from 2021.02 is also available)
- new beta pick for Coq 8.14+rc1 - as close as possible to the updated pick for Coq 8.13.2
- support for opam 2.1.0 (which integrates the opam system dependency manager depext - this needed a few adjustments)
- fix issues with Cygwin binutils
- various minor fixes for the snap package (support gappa, clightgen, ...)
- various minor fixes to the Windows installer (add icon for CoqIDE, ...)
- minor cleanup and improvements of the Coq Platform scripts
- the versions of provided Coq packages are identical to 2021.09.0
- added DMG package / installer for macOS
- Coq and CoqIDE update to version 8.13.2 (bugfix release)
- VST updated to version 2.7.1 (bugfix release)
- new package
coq-hottThe Homotopy Type Theory library
Maintaining an installation
It is not recommended to opam upgrade a Coq Platform opam switch, although this is possible.
The Coq Platform script does not pin any packages - not even Coq.
It just requests to install a specific version, so opam upgrade might change a lot of packages
and you end up with something which is no longer an "official" Coq Platform.
Instead it is recommended to wait for the next release of Coq Platform and install it, which will create a new opam switch - or if you use a binary installer on macOS or Windows, you can choose a different installation folder. This also has the advantage that you still have the Coq Platform version you have been working with so far available, which is useful in case you need to port some proofs from the older to the new version - which might happen. You can remove the opam switch or uninstall an installed Coq Platform as soon as you no longer need it.
In general the Coq Platform team recommends to use the concept of opam switches generously. If you want to do experiments, create a new switch following the instructions for creating Coq Platform package pick variants below. You can easily switch between opam switches and do tests. Also if you follow the package pick variants approach, you can easily share your setup with other people just by sharing the Coq Platform package pick file you created. A Coq Platform switch requires between 1 and 3 GByte of disk space. The current Coq 8.13.2 distribution requires 2.3 GByte on macOS.
Features of the Coq Platform
- fully opam based, also on Windows
- single script call to install system dependencies, opam (if not there), a fresh opam switch and the Coq Platform
- interactive (well, script based) guidance of the user through the few parameters
- one unified setup script for Windows, macOS and Linux with few operating system dependent sections only
- for Windows there is an additional wrapper batch script to setup Cygwin as build and working environment
- for Windows there is in addition a classic Windows installer mostly intended for quick installation by beginners
- for macOS a signed (but currently not yet notarized) DMG package is provided, also mostly intended for beginners
- for Linux snap packages are provided via the Snap Store
- it is easy to build variants of the provided installers with modified content
- it is supported to install several versions of Coq in parallel - each will create a separate opam switch - this is intended e.g. for porting Coq developments from older versions of Coq
- system prerequisites are installed using opam depext in a system independent manner
- the script should be fairly robust and safe - it will immediately abort on all errors not explicitly handled
- the script can be restarted if it fails - e.g because of internet or memory issues - it will not redo things it already did
Using different Coq versions in parallel
Especially for porting projects from an older to a newer version of Coq, Coq Platform supports to install several Coq versions in parallel. You can also use a Coq version from a previous version of Coq Platform in parallel with a Coq version from a newer version of Coq Platform. Each Coq version you install via the Coq Platform scripts will create a separate opam switch.
You can list the available switches with:
~$ opam switch
# switch compiler description
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.12 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.12.2 (released Dec 2020) with the first package pick from Dec 2020
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2021.02 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with the first package pick from Feb 2021
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2021.09 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an extended package pick from Sep 2021
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2022.01 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an updated package pick from Jan 2022
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.14~2022.01 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with the first package pick from Jan 2022
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.14~2022.04 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with an updated package pick from Apr 2022
__coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.15~2022.04 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.13.1+options Coq 8.15.2 (released Jun 2022) with the first package pick from Apr 2022
-> __coq-platform.2022.09.0~dev ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq dev (latest master of all packages)
You can select the opam switch for all shells with e.g.:
~$ opam switch __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.15~2022.04
You can select the opam switch for just the current shell with e.g.:
eval $(opam config env --set-switch --switch __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.15~2022.04)
So you can easily open two separate shell windows, select different opam switches and start e.g. two CoqIDE instances to step through the same file with two different versions of Coq.
Installation of additional packages or package variants
For some packages, notably CompCert and VST (the Princeton tool-chain for verification of C code), exist various variants.
By default the 64 bit variant of CompCert and the 64 bit variant of VST are installed.
You can install the 32 bit variants in addition any time later by issuing opam install commands, e.g.
opam install coq-compcert-32.3.9
opam install coq-vst-32.2.8
Please note that since both variants can be installed in parallel, only one, the 64 bit variant, is immediately available to Coq without -Q and -R options. If you want to work with the 32 bit variants, please use these options in your Coq project:
-Q $(coqc -where)/../coq-variant/compcert32/compcert compcert
-Q $(coqc -where)/../coq-variant/VST32/VST VST
Important note: CompCert is not free / open source software, but may be used for research and evaluation purposes. Please clarify the license at CompCert License.
- On Windows open a shell with
C:\<your_coq_platform_cygwin_path>\cygwin.bat. - On Linux or macOS open a shell in the usual way.
- Run the command
opam switchwhich will show the list of available switches:~$ opam switch # switch compiler description __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.12 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.12.2 (released Dec 2020) with the first package pick from Dec 2020 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2021.02 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with the first package pick from Feb 2021 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2021.09 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an extended package pick from Sep 2021 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.13~2022.01 ocaml-base-compiler.4.10.2 Coq 8.13.2 (released Apr 2021) with an updated package pick from Jan 2022 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.14~2022.01 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with the first package pick from Jan 2022 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.14~2022.04 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq 8.14.1 (released Nov 2021) with an updated package pick from Apr 2022 __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.15~2022.04 ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.13.1+options Coq 8.15.2 (released Jun 2022) with the first package pick from Apr 2022 -> __coq-platform.2022.09.0~dev ocaml-option-flambda.1,ocaml-variants.4.12.1+options Coq dev (latest master of all packages) - Choose the switch you want to change with this command (example):
opam switch __coq-platform.2022.09.0~8.15~2022.04 eval $(opam env) - You can find packages with
opam list --all | grep "some keyword". - You can show the description and further details on a package with
opam show "package". - Install additional packages with
opam install "package". - You can find some additional information on managing Coq installation with opam at Install Coq with opam.
Creating package pick variants and customized installers
It is an intended use case of the Coq Platform to create custom variants, e.g. for projects or lectures, by creating additional files in the package_picks folder.
For details, especially on creating custom installers for macOS, Linux/Snap and Windows see Customized Installers.