ChatGPT on this:
Let's compare Haskell, Rust, and Go in terms of their package management systems to understand the distinctions and why the post categorizes Rust as 'centralized' and Go as 'decentralized.'
### Haskell
- **Central Repository**: Hackage
- Centralized repository for Haskell libraries.
- **Package Management Tools**: Cabal and Stack
- Both tools support decentralized fetching of dependencies (e.g., from version control repositories or local paths).
- Stackage (used by Stack) is a curated set of packages from Hackage, ensuring compatibility but still centralized in nature.
- **Decentralization**: While primarily relying on Hackage, Haskell allows alternative sources for dependencies, providing a mix of centralized and decentralized features.
### Rust
- **Central Repository**: crates.io
- Centralized repository for Rust packages.
- **Package Management Tool**: Cargo
- By default, Cargo fetches dependencies from crates.io, reinforcing centralization.
- Cargo supports fetching dependencies from Git repositories and local paths, similar to Haskell's decentralized features.
- **Decentralization**: Despite Cargo's ability to use alternative sources, the ecosystem heavily relies on crates.io, thus perceived as more centralized.
### Go
- **Default Proxy**: proxy.golang.org (since Go 1.13)
- Acts as a centralized cache and improves reliability and performance.
- **Package Management**: Go Modules
- Go modules can fetch dependencies directly from their source repositories (e.g., GitHub, Bitbucket).
- Custom proxies can be configured using the `GOPROXY` environment variable.
- **Sum Database**: sum.golang.org ensures the integrity of downloaded modules.
- **Decentralization**: Go's ecosystem encourages fetching dependencies directly from the original repositories, promoting a decentralized approach by design.
### Key Differences
1. **Default Behavior**:
- **Rust**: Cargo defaults to crates.io, making the central repository the primary source of packages.
- **Haskell**: While Cabal and Stack default to Hackage and Stackage, they support other sources without significant configuration.
- **Go**: Despite the existence of `proxy.golang.org`, Go Modules default to fetching from the source repositories, highlighting a decentralized approach.
2. **Community and Ecosystem Practices**:
- **Rust**: The community heavily relies on crates.io, reinforcing the centralization despite Cargo's decentralized capabilities.
- **Haskell**: The community uses Hackage extensively, but decentralized practices are more common due to the flexibility provided by Cabal and Stack.
- **Go**: The Go community frequently fetches dependencies directly from version control systems, embracing decentralization as the norm.
### Why Rust is Seen as Centralized and Go as Decentralized
- **Rust**: The heavy reliance on crates.io as the primary source for packages creates a perception of centralization, even though Cargo can handle decentralized sources.
- **Go**: The design of Go Modules and the common practice of fetching dependencies directly from their repositories align with decentralized principles. The use of `proxy.golang.org` is optional and can be bypassed easily.
In summary, while Haskell, Rust, and Go all support decentralized package management to some extent, the difference lies in their default behaviors and community practices. Rust's ecosystem's reliance on crates.io contrasts with Go's more inherently decentralized approach to fetching dependencies, explaining the categorizations in the post.
