diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Changelog
+
+`simple-cabal` uses [PVP Versioning](https://pvp.haskell.org)
+
+## 0.0.0
+* Initially version, mostly taken from cabal-rpm PackageUtils.hs
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+BSD 3-Clause License
+
+Copyright (c) 2019, Jens Petersen
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+   list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
+   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+   this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# simple-cabal
+
+[![Hackage](https://img.shields.io/hackage/v/simple-cabal.svg)](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/simple-cabal)
+[![BSD3 license](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-BSD3-blue.svg)](LICENSE)
+[![Stackage Lts](http://stackage.org/package/simple-cabal/badge/lts)](http://stackage.org/lts/package/simple-cabal)
+[![Stackage Nightly](http://stackage.org/package/simple-cabal/badge/nightly)](http://stackage.org/nightly/package/simple-cabal)
+[![Build status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/juhp/simple-cabal.svg)](https://travis-ci.org/juhp/simple-cabal)
+
+A small compatibility wrapper over Cabal (builds for ghc 7 and 8).
+
+```
+pkgid <- getPackageId
+putStrLn $ showPkgId pkgid
+```
+
+```
+cabalfile <- findCabalFile
+genPkgDesc <- readGenericPackageDescription normal cabalfile
+```
diff --git a/Setup.hs b/Setup.hs
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/simple-cabal.cabal b/simple-cabal.cabal
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/simple-cabal.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+cabal-version:       2.0
+name:                simple-cabal
+version:             0.0.0
+synopsis:            Cabal file wrapper library
+description:         Cabal compatibility layer for reading and
+                     parsing .cabal files
+homepage:            https://github.com/juhp/simple-cabal
+bug-reports:         https://github.com/juhp/simple-cabal/issues
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Jens Petersen
+maintainer:          juhpetersen@gmail.com
+copyright:           2019 Jens Petersen
+category:            Distribution
+build-type:          Simple
+extra-doc-files:     README.md
+                   , CHANGELOG.md
+tested-with:         GHC == 8.6.5
+
+source-repository head
+  type:                git
+  location:            https://github.com/juhp/simple-cabal.git
+
+library
+  hs-source-dirs:      src
+  exposed-modules:     SimpleCabal
+                       
+
+  build-depends:       base < 5,
+                       Cabal,
+                       directory,
+                       filepath
+
+  ghc-options:         -Wall
+
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/SimpleCabal.hs b/src/SimpleCabal.hs
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/SimpleCabal.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+
+module SimpleCabal
+       ( findCabalFile
+       , finalPackageDescription
+       , getPackageId
+       , normal
+       , PackageDescription (..)
+       , PackageIdentifier (..)
+       , packageName, packageVersion
+       , readGenericPackageDescription
+       , showPkgId
+       ) where
+
+#if (defined(MIN_VERSION_base) && MIN_VERSION_base(4,8,0))
+#else
+import Control.Applicative ((<$>))
+#endif
+
+import Distribution.Compiler
+import Distribution.Package  (PackageIdentifier (..),
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,22,0)
+                                        unPackageName
+#else
+                                        PackageName (..)
+#endif
+                                       )
+import Distribution.PackageDescription 
+  (PackageDescription (..),
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+  FlagName, 
+#else
+  FlagName (..),
+#endif
+  GenericPackageDescription(packageDescription),
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,2,0)
+  mkFlagAssignment
+#endif
+  )
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+import Distribution.PackageDescription.Configuration (finalizePD)
+import Distribution.Types.ComponentRequestedSpec (defaultComponentRequestedSpec)
+#else
+import Distribution.PackageDescription.Configuration (finalizePackageDescription)
+#endif
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,2,0)
+import Distribution.PackageDescription.Parsec (readGenericPackageDescription)
+#elif defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+import Distribution.PackageDescription.Parse (readGenericPackageDescription)
+#else
+import Distribution.PackageDescription.Parse (readPackageDescription)
+#endif
+
+import Distribution.Simple.Compiler (
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,22,0)
+    compilerInfo
+#else
+    Compiler (..)
+#endif
+    )
+import Distribution.Simple.Configure (
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,18,0)
+    configCompilerEx
+#else
+    configCompiler
+#endif
+    )
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+import Distribution.Simple.Program   (defaultProgramDb)
+#else
+import Distribution.Simple.Program   (defaultProgramConfiguration)
+#endif
+import Distribution.System (Platform (..), buildArch, buildOS)
+import Distribution.Verbosity (normal)
+
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,2,0)
+import Distribution.Pretty (prettyShow)
+#else
+import qualified Distribution.Version (showVersion, Version)
+#endif
+#else
+import qualified Data.Version (
+    showVersion,
+#if (defined(MIN_VERSION_base) && MIN_VERSION_base(4,8,0))
+    Version,
+#else
+    Version(..)
+#endif
+  )
+#endif
+
+import System.Directory (getDirectoryContents)
+import System.FilePath (takeExtension)
+
+type Flags = [(FlagName, Bool)]
+
+findCabalFile :: IO FilePath
+findCabalFile = do
+  allCabals <- filesWithExtension "." ".cabal"
+  case allCabals of
+    [file] -> return file
+    [] -> error "No .cabal file found"
+    _ -> error "More than one .cabal file found!"
+  where
+    filesWithExtension :: FilePath -> String -> IO [FilePath]
+    filesWithExtension dir ext =
+      filter (\ f -> takeExtension f == ext) <$> getDirectoryContents dir
+
+getPackageId :: IO PackageIdentifier
+getPackageId = do
+  gpd <- findCabalFile >>= readGenericPackageDescription normal
+  return $ package $ packageDescription gpd
+
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+#else
+readGenericPackageDescription = readPackageDescription
+#endif
+
+finalPackageDescription :: Flags -> FilePath
+                          -> IO PackageDescription
+finalPackageDescription flags cabalfile = do
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+#else
+  let defaultProgramDb = defaultProgramConfiguration
+#endif
+  genPkgDesc <- readGenericPackageDescription normal cabalfile
+  compiler <- do
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,18,0)
+                              (compiler, _, _) <- configCompilerEx
+#else
+                              (compiler, _) <- configCompiler
+#endif
+                                (Just GHC) Nothing Nothing defaultProgramDb normal
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,22,0)
+                              return (compilerInfo compiler)
+#else
+                              return (compilerId compiler)
+#endif
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,2,0)
+#else
+  let mkFlagAssignment = id
+#endif
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+  let finalizePackageDescription flags' = finalizePD flags' defaultComponentRequestedSpec
+#endif
+  let final =
+        finalizePackageDescription (mkFlagAssignment flags)
+        (const True) (Platform buildArch buildOS)
+        compiler
+        [] genPkgDesc
+  case final of
+    Left e -> error $ "finalize failed: " ++ show e
+    Right res -> return $ fst res
+
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(1,22,0)
+#else
+unPackageName :: PackageName -> String
+unPackageName (PackageName n) = n
+#endif
+
+packageName :: PackageIdentifier -> String
+packageName = unPackageName . pkgName
+
+packageVersion :: PackageIdentifier -> String
+packageVersion = prettyShow . pkgVersion
+
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,2,0)
+#else
+#if defined(MIN_VERSION_Cabal) && MIN_VERSION_Cabal(2,0,0)
+prettyShow :: Distribution.Version.Version -> String
+prettyShow = Distribution.Version.showVersion
+#else
+prettyShow :: Data.Version.Version -> String
+prettyShow = Data.Version.showVersion
+#endif
+#endif
+
+showPkgId :: PackageIdentifier -> String
+showPkgId pkgid =
+  packageName pkgid ++ "-" ++ packageVersion pkgid
+