HSH package allows you to use shell commands and expressions with Haskell programs. It is now available in Fedora. Install it using:

$ sudo yum install ghc-HSH-devel

You can import the HSH module using:

ghci> :m + HSH

The runIO function can execute a shell command:

Prelude HSH> runIO "date"
Sun Sep 30 21:29:50 IST 2012

You can use pipes with multiple commands by separating them with “-|-”:

Prelude HSH> runIO $ "date" -|- "wc"
      1       6      29

The runSL function takes a command as an argument and returns the first line of the output:

Prelude HSH> runSL "cal"
"   September 2012"

The setenv function can set an environment variable:

Prelude HSH> runIO "echo $TERM"
xterm

Prelude HSH> runIO $ setenv [("TERM", "gnome-terminal")] $ "echo $TERM"
gnome-terminal

The HSH package also provides shell equivalent commands. Few examples are shown below:

Prelude HSH> basename "/tmp/tmp/doc"
"doc"

Prelude HSH> dirname "/tmp/tmp/doc"
"/tmp/tmp"

Prelude HSH> pwd
"/tmp"

Prelude HSH> cut 2 ' ' "alpha bravo charlie delta echo"
"charlie"

The wcL and wcW functions count the lines and words respectively:

Prelude HSH> wcL ["hello", "world"]
["2"]

Prelude HSH> wcW ["first", "second", "third fourth"]
["4"]