63 files changed, 1440 insertions, 1539 deletions
diff --git a/Makefile.setup.inc b/Makefile.setup.inc
index 092d0423..eff6f49b 100644
--- a/Makefile.setup.inc
+++ b/Makefile.setup.inc
@@ -5,16 +5,16 @@ BINDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/bin
 LUADIR ?= $(PREFIX)/share/lua/$(LUA_VERSION)/
 BIN_FILES = luarocks luarocks-admin
-LUAROCKS_FILES = fs/tools.lua fs/unix/tools.lua fs/unix.lua fs/win32/tools.lua fs/win32.lua \
+LUAROCKS_FILES = admin/add.lua admin/cache.lua admin/make_manifest.lua admin/refresh_cache.lua \
-fs/lua.lua persist.lua list.lua require.lua repos.lua dir.lua make_manifest.lua \
+admin/remove.lua build.lua build/builtin.lua build/cmake.lua build/command.lua \
-command_line.lua config_cmd.lua install.lua build/command.lua build/cmake.lua \
+build/make.lua command_line.lua config_cmd.lua core/cfg.lua core/deps.lua \
-build/make.lua build/builtin.lua fetch/cvs.lua fetch/git.lua fetch/sscm.lua \
+core/dir.lua core/manif.lua core/path.lua core/persist.lua core/type_check.lua \
-tools/patch.lua fetch/svn.lua tools/zip.lua tools/tar.lua pack.lua type_check.lua \
+core/util.lua deps.lua dir.lua doc.lua download.lua fetch.lua fetch/cvs.lua \
-make.lua remove.lua fs.lua manif.lua add.lua deps.lua build.lua search.lua \
+fetch/git.lua fetch/git_file.lua fetch/git_http.lua fetch/git_https.lua \
-show.lua manif_core.lua fetch.lua unpack.lua validate.lua cfg.lua download.lua \
+fetch/git_ssh.lua fetch/hg.lua fetch/hg_http.lua fetch/hg_https.lua fetch/hg_ssh.lua \
-help.lua util.lua index.lua cache.lua refresh_cache.lua loader.lua \
+fetch/sscm.lua fetch/svn.lua fs.lua fs/lua.lua fs/tools.lua fs/unix.lua fs/unix/tools.lua \
-admin_remove.lua fetch/hg.lua fetch/git_file.lua new_version.lua lint.lua \
+fs/win32.lua fs/win32/tools.lua help.lua index.lua install.lua lint.lua list.lua \
-purge.lua path.lua path_cmd.lua write_rockspec.lua doc.lua upload.lua \
+loader.lua make.lua manif.lua manif/writer.lua new_version.lua pack.lua path.lua \
-upload/api.lua upload/multipart.lua fetch/git_http.lua fetch/hg_http.lua \
+path_cmd.lua persist.lua purge.lua remove.lua repos.lua require.lua search.lua \
-fetch/hg_https.lua fetch/hg_ssh.lua fetch/git_https.lua fetch/git_ssh.lua
+show.lua tools/patch.lua tools/tar.lua tools/zip.lua type_check.lua unpack.lua \
+upload.lua upload/api.lua upload/multipart.lua util.lua write_rockspec.lua
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index d7fc7cc2..d95ea952 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-version: 2.2.1.{build}-test
+version: 3.0.0.{build}-test
 shallow_clone: true
 environment:
-  LUAROCKS_VER: 2.2.1
+  LUAROCKS_VER: 3.0.0
  matrix:
  - LUA_VER: 5.1.5
diff --git a/install.bat b/install.bat
index dcd132ff..3deb3d14 100644
--- a/install.bat
+++ b/install.bat
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local vars = {}
 vars.PREFIX = nil
-vars.VERSION = "2.2"
+vars.VERSION = "3.0"
 vars.SYSCONFDIR = nil
 vars.SYSCONFFORCE = nil
 vars.CONFBACKUPDIR = nil
diff --git a/makedist b/makedist
index fb41b981..05da40a8 100755
--- a/makedist
+++ b/makedist
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ grep -q "\"$1\"" rockspec || {
   exit 1
 }
-grep -q "program_version = \"$1\"" src/luarocks/cfg.lua || {
+grep -q "program_version = \"$1\"" src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua || {
   echo
-   echo "program_version in src/luarocks/cfg.lua is incorrect. Please fix it."
+   echo "program_version in src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua is incorrect. Please fix it."
   exit 1
 }
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ grep -q "LUAROCKS_VER: $1" appveyor.yml || {
 # e.g. if $1 is "2.3.0", $program_series is "2.3"
 program_series=${1%.*}
-grep -q "program_series = \"$program_series\"" src/luarocks/cfg.lua || {
+grep -q "program_series = \"$program_series\"" src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua || {
   echo
-   echo "program_series in src/luarocks/cfg.lua is incorrect. Please fix it."
+   echo "program_series in src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua is incorrect. Please fix it."
   exit 1
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/luarocks b/src/bin/luarocks
index be6c2b81..21f17da9 100755
--- a/src/bin/luarocks
+++ b/src/bin/luarocks
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env lua
 -- this should be loaded first.
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local loader = require("luarocks.loader")
 local command_line = require("luarocks.command_line")
diff --git a/src/bin/luarocks-admin b/src/bin/luarocks-admin
index 2890d1f1..660c0a70 100755
--- a/src/bin/luarocks-admin
+++ b/src/bin/luarocks-admin
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env lua
 -- this should be loaded first.
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local loader = require("luarocks.loader")
 local command_line = require("luarocks.command_line")
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ program_description = "LuaRocks repository administration interface"
 commands = {
   help = "luarocks.help",
-   make_manifest = "luarocks.make_manifest",
+   make_manifest = "luarocks.admin.make_manifest",
-   add = "luarocks.add",
+   add = "luarocks.admin.add",
-   remove = "luarocks.admin_remove",
+   remove = "luarocks.admin.remove",
-   refresh_cache = "luarocks.refresh_cache",
+   refresh_cache = "luarocks.admin.refresh_cache",
 }
 command_line.run_command(...)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/add.lua b/src/luarocks/admin/add.lua
index 66f7504f..daf46c1d 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/add.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/admin/add.lua
@@ -2,15 +2,14 @@
 --- Module implementing the luarocks-admin "add" command.
 -- Adds a rock or rockspec to a rocks server.
 local add = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.add"] = add
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local index = require("luarocks.index")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cache = require("luarocks.cache")
+local cache = require("luarocks.admin.cache")
 add.help_summary = "Add a rock or rockspec to a rocks server."
 add.help_arguments = "[--server=<server>] [--no-refresh] {<rockspec>|<rock>...}"
@@ -23,6 +22,15 @@ The flag --no-refresh indicates the local cache should not be refreshed
 prior to generation of the updated manifest.
 ]]
+local function zip_manifests()
+   for ver in util.lua_versions() do
+      local file = "manifest-"..ver
+      local zip = file..".zip"
+      fs.delete(dir.path(fs.current_dir(), zip))
+      fs.zip(zip, file)
+   end
+end
 local function add_files_to_server(refresh, rockfiles, server, upload_server)
   assert(type(refresh) == "boolean" or not refresh)
   assert(type(rockfiles) == "table")
@@ -67,9 +75,9 @@ local function add_files_to_server(refresh, rockfiles, server, upload_server)
   if not ok then return nil, err end
   util.printout("Updating manifest...")
-   manif.make_manifest(local_cache, "one", true)
+   writer.make_manifest(local_cache, "one", true)
   
-   manif.zip_manifests()
+   zip_manifests()
   
   util.printout("Updating index.html...")
   index.make_index(local_cache)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/cache.lua b/src/luarocks/admin/cache.lua
index 4a95f70e..0daa0fc0 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/cache.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/admin/cache.lua
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 --- Module handling the LuaRocks local cache.
 -- Adds a rock or rockspec to a rocks server.
 local cache = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.cache"] = cache
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/make_manifest.lua b/src/luarocks/admin/make_manifest.lua
index b89ba47f..57851942 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/make_manifest.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/admin/make_manifest.lua
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@
 --- Module implementing the luarocks-admin "make_manifest" command.
 -- Compile a manifest file for a repository.
 local make_manifest = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.make_manifest"] = make_manifest
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local index = require("luarocks.index")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ function make_manifest.command(flags, repo)
      util.warning("This looks like a local rocks tree, but you did not pass --local-tree.")
   end
   
-   local ok, err = manif.make_manifest(repo, deps.get_deps_mode(flags), not flags["local-tree"])
+   local ok, err = writer.make_manifest(repo, deps.get_deps_mode(flags), not flags["local-tree"])
   if ok and not flags["local-tree"] then
      util.printout("Generating index.html for "..repo)
      index.make_index(repo)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/refresh_cache.lua b/src/luarocks/admin/refresh_cache.lua
index 1261044f..947dbfb0 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/refresh_cache.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/admin/refresh_cache.lua
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 --- Module implementing the luarocks-admin "refresh_cache" command.
 local refresh_cache = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.refresh_cache"] = refresh_cache
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
-local cache = require("luarocks.cache")
+local cache = require("luarocks.admin.cache")
 refresh_cache.help_summary = "Refresh local cache of a remote rocks server."
 refresh_cache.help_arguments = "[--from=<server>]"
diff --git a/src/luarocks/admin_remove.lua b/src/luarocks/admin/remove.lua
index be1e7cbc..763a166f 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/admin_remove.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/admin/remove.lua
@@ -2,15 +2,14 @@
 --- Module implementing the luarocks-admin "remove" command.
 -- Removes a rock or rockspec from a rocks server.
 local admin_remove = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.admin_remove"] = admin_remove
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local index = require("luarocks.index")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cache = require("luarocks.cache")
+local cache = require("luarocks.admin.cache")
 admin_remove.help_summary = "Remove a rock or rockspec from a rocks server."
 admin_remove.help_arguments = "[--server=<server>] [--no-refresh] {<rockspec>|<rock>...}"
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ local function remove_files_from_server(refresh, rockfiles, server, upload_serve
   if not ok then return nil, err end
   util.printout("Updating manifest...")
-   manif.make_manifest(local_cache, "one", true)
+   writer.make_manifest(local_cache, "one", true)
   util.printout("Updating index.html...")
   index.make_index(local_cache)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/build.lua b/src/luarocks/build.lua
index 2d29e23f..d7d8ed07 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/build.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/build.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "build" command.
 -- Builds a rock, compiling its C parts if any.
 local build = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.build"] = build
 local pack = require("luarocks.pack")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
@@ -12,9 +11,9 @@ local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local remove = require("luarocks.remove")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 build.help_summary = "Build/compile a rock."
 build.help_arguments = "[--pack-binary-rock] [--keep] {<rockspec>|<rock>|<name> [<version>]}"
@@ -346,7 +345,7 @@ function build.build_rockspec(rockspec_file, need_to_fetch, minimal_mode, deps_m
      fs.pop_dir()
   end
-   ok, err = manif.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
+   ok, err = writer.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
   if err then return nil, err end
   ok, err = repos.deploy_files(name, version, repos.should_wrap_bin_scripts(rockspec))
@@ -360,7 +359,7 @@ function build.build_rockspec(rockspec_file, need_to_fetch, minimal_mode, deps_m
   ok, err = repos.run_hook(rockspec, "post_install")
   if err then return nil, err end
-   ok, err = manif.update_manifest(name, version, nil, deps_mode)
+   ok, err = writer.update_manifest(name, version, nil, deps_mode)
   if err then return nil, err end
   util.announce_install(rockspec)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/build/builtin.lua b/src/luarocks/build/builtin.lua
index 81fa8b13..d9785b0c 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/build/builtin.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/build/builtin.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 --- Run a command displaying its execution on standard output.
diff --git a/src/luarocks/build/cmake.lua b/src/luarocks/build/cmake.lua
index c2712bb2..43702979 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/build/cmake.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/build/cmake.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local cmake = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 --- Driver function for the "cmake" build back-end.
diff --git a/src/luarocks/build/make.lua b/src/luarocks/build/make.lua
index 69e73c2e..ded015b7 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/build/make.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/build/make.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 --- Call "make" with given target and variables
 -- @param make_cmd string: the make command to be used (typically
diff --git a/src/luarocks/command_line.lua b/src/luarocks/command_line.lua
index 1a8c0fe7..936e9950 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/command_line.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/command_line.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local command_line = {}
 local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/config_cmd.lua b/src/luarocks/config_cmd.lua
index 9e73d228..b68f7898 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/config_cmd.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/config_cmd.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 -- Queries information about the LuaRocks configuration.
 local config_cmd = {}
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/cfg.lua b/src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua
index 53387276..42508b9e 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/cfg.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/cfg.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 --- Configuration for LuaRocks.
 -- Tries to load the user's configuration file and
 -- defines defaults for unset values. See the
@@ -13,11 +14,7 @@
 local rawset, next, table, pairs, require, io, os, setmetatable, pcall, ipairs, package, tonumber, type, assert, _VERSION =
      rawset, next, table, pairs, require, io, os, setmetatable, pcall, ipairs, package, tonumber, type, assert, _VERSION
--module("luarocks.cfg")
 local cfg = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.cfg"] = cfg
-local util = require("luarocks.util")
 cfg.lua_version = _VERSION:sub(5)
 local version_suffix = cfg.lua_version:gsub("%.", "_")
@@ -32,15 +29,18 @@ if not ok then
   site_config = {}
 end
+local util = require("luarocks.core.util")
+local persist = require("luarocks.core.persist")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cfg.program_version = "scm"
-cfg.program_series = "2.2"
+cfg.program_series = "3.0"
 cfg.major_version = (cfg.program_version:match("([^.]%.[^.])")) or cfg.program_series
 cfg.variables = {}
 cfg.rocks_trees = {}
 cfg.platforms = {}
-local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
 cfg.errorcodes = setmetatable({
   OK = 0,
   UNSPECIFIED = 1,
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/deps.lua b/src/luarocks/core/deps.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d539eb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/deps.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+local deps = {}
+local util = require("luarocks.core.util")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+local deltas = {
+   scm =    1100,
+   cvs =    1000,
+   rc =    -1000,
+   pre =   -10000,
+   beta =  -100000,
+   alpha = -1000000
+}
+local version_mt = {
+   --- Equality comparison for versions.
+   -- All version numbers must be equal.
+   -- If both versions have revision numbers, they must be equal;
+   -- otherwise the revision number is ignored.
+   -- @param v1 table: version table to compare.
+   -- @param v2 table: version table to compare.
+   -- @return boolean: true if they are considered equivalent.
+   __eq = function(v1, v2)
+      if #v1 ~= #v2 then
+         return false
+      end
+      for i = 1, #v1 do
+         if v1[i] ~= v2[i] then
+            return false
+         end
+      end
+      if v1.revision and v2.revision then
+         return (v1.revision == v2.revision)
+      end
+      return true
+   end,
+   --- Size comparison for versions.
+   -- All version numbers are compared.
+   -- If both versions have revision numbers, they are compared;
+   -- otherwise the revision number is ignored.
+   -- @param v1 table: version table to compare.
+   -- @param v2 table: version table to compare.
+   -- @return boolean: true if v1 is considered lower than v2.
+   __lt = function(v1, v2)
+      for i = 1, math.max(#v1, #v2) do
+         local v1i, v2i = v1[i] or 0, v2[i] or 0
+         if v1i ~= v2i then
+            return (v1i < v2i)
+         end
+      end
+      if v1.revision and v2.revision then
+         return (v1.revision < v2.revision)
+      end
+      return false
+   end
+}
+local version_cache = {}
+setmetatable(version_cache, {
+   __mode = "kv"
+})
+--- Parse a version string, converting to table format.
+-- A version table contains all components of the version string
+-- converted to numeric format, stored in the array part of the table.
+-- If the version contains a revision, it is stored numerically
+-- in the 'revision' field. The original string representation of
+-- the string is preserved in the 'string' field.
+-- Returned version tables use a metatable
+-- allowing later comparison through relational operators.
+-- @param vstring string: A version number in string format.
+-- @return table or nil: A version table or nil
+-- if the input string contains invalid characters.
+function deps.parse_version(vstring)
+   if not vstring then return nil end
+   assert(type(vstring) == "string")
+   local cached = version_cache[vstring]
+   if cached then
+      return cached
+   end
+   local version = {}
+   local i = 1
+   local function add_token(number)
+      version[i] = version[i] and version[i] + number/100000 or number
+      i = i + 1
+   end
+   
+   -- trim leading and trailing spaces
+   vstring = vstring:match("^%s*(.*)%s*$")
+   version.string = vstring
+   -- store revision separately if any
+   local main, revision = vstring:match("(.*)%-(%d+)$")
+   if revision then
+      vstring = main
+      version.revision = tonumber(revision)
+   end
+   while #vstring > 0 do
+      -- extract a number
+      local token, rest = vstring:match("^(%d+)[%.%-%_]*(.*)")
+      if token then
+         add_token(tonumber(token))
+      else
+         -- extract a word
+         token, rest = vstring:match("^(%a+)[%.%-%_]*(.*)")
+         if not token then
+            util.printerr("Warning: version number '"..vstring.."' could not be parsed.")
+            version[i] = 0
+            break
+         end
+         version[i] = deltas[token] or (token:byte() / 1000)
+      end
+      vstring = rest
+   end
+   setmetatable(version, version_mt)
+   version_cache[vstring] = version
+   return version
+end
+--- Utility function to compare version numbers given as strings.
+-- @param a string: one version.
+-- @param b string: another version.
+-- @return boolean: True if a > b.
+function deps.compare_versions(a, b)
+   return deps.parse_version(a) > deps.parse_version(b)
+end
+--- A more lenient check for equivalence between versions.
+-- This returns true if the requested components of a version
+-- match and ignore the ones that were not given. For example,
+-- when requesting "2", then "2", "2.1", "2.3.5-9"... all match.
+-- When requesting "2.1", then "2.1", "2.1.3" match, but "2.2"
+-- doesn't.
+-- @param version string or table: Version to be tested; may be
+-- in string format or already parsed into a table.
+-- @param requested string or table: Version requested; may be
+-- in string format or already parsed into a table.
+-- @return boolean: True if the tested version matches the requested
+-- version, false otherwise.
+local function partial_match(version, requested)
+   assert(type(version) == "string" or type(version) == "table")
+   assert(type(requested) == "string" or type(version) == "table")
+   if type(version) ~= "table" then version = deps.parse_version(version) end
+   if type(requested) ~= "table" then requested = deps.parse_version(requested) end
+   if not version or not requested then return false end
+   
+   for i, ri in ipairs(requested) do
+      local vi = version[i] or 0
+      if ri ~= vi then return false end
+   end
+   if requested.revision then
+      return requested.revision == version.revision
+   end
+   return true
+end
+--- Check if a version satisfies a set of constraints.
+-- @param version table: A version in table format
+-- @param constraints table: An array of constraints in table format.
+-- @return boolean: True if version satisfies all constraints,
+-- false otherwise.
+function deps.match_constraints(version, constraints)
+   assert(type(version) == "table")
+   assert(type(constraints) == "table")
+   local ok = true
+   setmetatable(version, version_mt)
+   for _, constr in pairs(constraints) do
+      if type(constr.version) == "string" then
+         constr.version = deps.parse_version(constr.version)
+      end
+      local constr_version, constr_op = constr.version, constr.op
+      setmetatable(constr_version, version_mt)
+      if     constr_op == "==" then ok = version == constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == "~=" then ok = version ~= constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == ">"  then ok = version >  constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == "<"  then ok = version <  constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == ">=" then ok = version >= constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == "<=" then ok = version <= constr_version
+      elseif constr_op == "~>" then ok = partial_match(version, constr_version)
+      end
+      if not ok then break end
+   end
+   return ok
+end
+return deps
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/dir.lua b/src/luarocks/core/dir.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..240bb38a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/dir.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+local dir = {}
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+dir.separator = "/"
+--- Describe a path in a cross-platform way.
+-- Use this function to avoid platform-specific directory
+-- separators in other modules. Removes trailing slashes from
+-- each component given, to avoid repeated separators.
+-- Separators inside strings are kept, to handle URLs containing
+-- protocols.
+-- @param ... strings representing directories
+-- @return string: a string with a platform-specific representation
+-- of the path.
+function dir.path(...)
+   local t = {...}
+   while t[1] == "" do
+      table.remove(t, 1)
+   end
+   return (table.concat(t, "/"):gsub("([^:])/+", "%1/"):gsub("^/+", "/"):gsub("/*$", ""))
+end
+--- Split protocol and path from an URL or local pathname.
+-- URLs should be in the "protocol://path" format.
+-- For local pathnames, "file" is returned as the protocol.
+-- @param url string: an URL or a local pathname.
+-- @return string, string: the protocol, and the pathname without the protocol.
+function dir.split_url(url)
+   assert(type(url) == "string")
+   
+   local protocol, pathname = url:match("^([^:]*)://(.*)")
+   if not protocol then
+      protocol = "file"
+      pathname = url
+   end
+   return protocol, pathname
+end
+--- Normalize a url or local path.
+-- URLs should be in the "protocol://path" format. System independent
+-- forward slashes are used, removing trailing and double slashes
+-- @param url string: an URL or a local pathname.
+-- @return string: Normalized result.
+function dir.normalize(name)
+   local protocol, pathname = dir.split_url(name)
+   pathname = pathname:gsub("\\", "/"):gsub("(.)/*$", "%1"):gsub("//", "/")
+   if protocol ~= "file" then pathname = protocol .."://"..pathname end
+   return pathname
+end
+return dir
diff --git a/src/luarocks/manif_core.lua b/src/luarocks/core/manif.lua
index 5c8928d4..f0912bfd 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/manif_core.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/manif.lua
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 --- Core functions for querying manifest files.
-- This module requires no specific 'fs' functionality.
+local manif = {}
-local manif_core = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.manif_core"] = manif_core
-local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
+local persist = require("luarocks.core.persist")
-local type_check = require("luarocks.type_check")
+local type_check = require("luarocks.core.type_check")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
-local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
+local dir = require("luarocks.core.dir")
-local util = require("luarocks.util")
+local util = require("luarocks.core.util")
-local path = require("luarocks.path")
+local path = require("luarocks.core.path")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Table with repository identifiers as keys and tables mapping
 -- Lua versions to cached loaded manifests as values.
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ local manifest_cache = {}
 -- @param repo_url string: The repository identifier.
 -- @param lua_version string: Lua version in "5.x" format, defaults to installed version.
 -- @param manifest table: the manifest to be cached.
-function manif_core.cache_manifest(repo_url, lua_version, manifest)
+function manif.cache_manifest(repo_url, lua_version, manifest)
   lua_version = lua_version or cfg.lua_version
   manifest_cache[repo_url] = manifest_cache[repo_url] or {}
   manifest_cache[repo_url][lua_version] = manifest
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ end
 -- @param repo_url string: The repository identifier.
 -- @param lua_version string: Lua version in "5.x" format, defaults to installed version.
 -- @return table or nil: loaded manifest or nil if cache is empty.
-function manif_core.get_cached_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
+function manif.get_cached_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
   lua_version = lua_version or cfg.lua_version
   return manifest_cache[repo_url] and manifest_cache[repo_url][lua_version]
 end
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ end
 -- @param quick boolean: If given, skips type checking.
 -- @return table or (nil, string, string): the manifest or nil,
 -- error message and error code ("open", "load", "run" or "type").
-function manif_core.manifest_loader(file, repo_url, lua_version, quick)
+function manif.manifest_loader(file, repo_url, lua_version, quick)
   local manifest, err, errcode = persist.load_into_table(file)
   if not manifest then
      return nil, "Failed loading manifest for "..repo_url..": "..err, errcode
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function manif_core.manifest_loader(file, repo_url, lua_version, quick)
      end
   end
-   manif_core.cache_manifest(repo_url, lua_version, manifest)
+   manif.cache_manifest(repo_url, lua_version, manifest)
   return manifest
 end
@@ -65,16 +65,16 @@ end
 -- @param repo_url string: URL or pathname for the repository.
 -- @return table or (nil, string, string): A table representing the manifest,
 -- or nil followed by an error message and an error code, see manifest_loader.
-function manif_core.load_local_manifest(repo_url)
+function manif.load_local_manifest(repo_url)
   assert(type(repo_url) == "string")
-   local cached_manifest = manif_core.get_cached_manifest(repo_url)
+   local cached_manifest = manif.get_cached_manifest(repo_url)
   if cached_manifest then
      return cached_manifest
   end
   local pathname = dir.path(repo_url, "manifest")
-   return manif_core.manifest_loader(pathname, repo_url, nil, true)
+   return manif.manifest_loader(pathname, repo_url, nil, true)
 end
 --- Get all versions of a package listed in a manifest file.
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ end
 -- or "all", to use all trees.
 -- @return table: An array of strings listing installed
 -- versions of a package.
-function manif_core.get_versions(name, deps_mode)
+function manif.get_versions(name, deps_mode)
   assert(type(name) == "string")
   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
   
   local manifest = {}
   path.map_trees(deps_mode, function(tree)
-      local loaded = manif_core.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(tree))
+      local loaded = manif.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(tree))
      if loaded then
         util.deep_merge(manifest, loaded)
      end
@@ -104,4 +104,4 @@ function manif_core.get_versions(name, deps_mode)
   return {}
 end
-return manif_core
+return manif
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/path.lua b/src/luarocks/core/path.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ffde2c68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/path.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+--- Core LuaRocks-specific path handling functions.
+local path = {}
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
+local dir = require("luarocks.core.dir")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+function path.rocks_dir(tree)
+   if type(tree) == "string" then
+      return dir.path(tree, cfg.rocks_subdir)
+   else
+      assert(type(tree) == "table")
+      return tree.rocks_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.rocks_subdir)
+   end
+end
+--- Produce a versioned version of a filename.
+-- @param file string: filename (must start with prefix)
+-- @param prefix string: Path prefix for file
+-- @param name string: Rock name
+-- @param version string: Rock version
+-- @return string: a pathname with the same directory parts and a versioned basename.
+function path.versioned_name(file, prefix, name, version)
+   assert(type(file) == "string")
+   assert(type(name) == "string")
+   assert(type(version) == "string")
+   local rest = file:sub(#prefix+1):gsub("^/*", "")
+   local name_version = (name.."_"..version):gsub("%-", "_"):gsub("%.", "_")
+   return dir.path(prefix, name_version.."-"..rest)
+end
+--- Convert a pathname to a module identifier.
+-- In Unix, for example, a path "foo/bar/baz.lua" is converted to
+-- "foo.bar.baz"; "bla/init.lua" returns "bla"; "foo.so" returns "foo".
+-- @param file string: Pathname of module
+-- @return string: The module identifier, or nil if given path is
+-- not a conformant module path (the function does not check if the
+-- path actually exists).
+function path.path_to_module(file)
+   assert(type(file) == "string")
+   local name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.lua_extension.."$")
+   if name then
+      name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
+      local init = name:match("(.*)%.init$")
+      if init then
+         name = init
+      end
+   else
+      name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.lib_extension.."$")
+      if name then
+         name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
+      else
+         name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.static_lib_extension.."$")
+         if name then
+            name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
+         end
+      end
+   end
+   if not name then name = file end
+   name = name:gsub("^%.+", ""):gsub("%.+$", "")
+   return name
+end
+function path.deploy_lua_dir(tree)
+   if type(tree) == "string" then
+      return dir.path(tree, cfg.lua_modules_path)
+   else
+      assert(type(tree) == "table")
+      return tree.lua_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.lua_modules_path)
+   end
+end
+function path.deploy_lib_dir(tree)
+   if type(tree) == "string" then
+      return dir.path(tree, cfg.lib_modules_path)
+   else
+      assert(type(tree) == "table")
+      return tree.lib_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.lib_modules_path)
+   end
+end
+local is_src_extension = { [".lua"] = true, [".tl"] = true, [".tld"] = true, [".moon"] = true }
+--- Return the pathname of the file that would be loaded for a module, indexed.
+-- @param file_name string: module file name as in manifest (eg. "socket/core.so")
+-- @param name string: name of the package (eg. "luasocket")
+-- @param version string: version number (eg. "2.0.2-1")
+-- @param tree string: repository path (eg. "/usr/local")
+-- @param i number: the index, 1 if version is the current default, > 1 otherwise.
+-- This is done this way for use by select_module in luarocks.loader.
+-- @return string: filename of the module (eg. "/usr/local/lib/lua/5.1/socket/core.so")
+function path.which_i(file_name, name, version, tree, i)
+   local deploy_dir
+   local extension = file_name:match("%.[a-z]+$")
+   if is_src_extension[extension] then
+      deploy_dir = path.deploy_lua_dir(tree)
+      file_name = dir.path(deploy_dir, file_name)
+   else
+      deploy_dir = path.deploy_lib_dir(tree)
+      file_name = dir.path(deploy_dir, file_name)
+   end
+   if i > 1 then
+      file_name = path.versioned_name(file_name, deploy_dir, name, version)
+   end
+   return file_name
+end
+function path.rocks_tree_to_string(tree)
+   if type(tree) == "string" then
+      return tree
+   else
+      assert(type(tree) == "table")
+      return tree.root
+   end
+end
+--- Apply a given function to the active rocks trees based on chosen dependency mode.
+-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
+-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
+-- "none" for no trees (this function becomes a nop).
+-- @param fn function: function to be applied, with the tree dir (string) as the first
+-- argument and the remaining varargs of map_trees as the following arguments.
+-- @return a table with all results of invocations of fn collected.
+function path.map_trees(deps_mode, fn, ...)
+   local result = {}
+   if deps_mode == "one" then
+      table.insert(result, (fn(cfg.root_dir, ...)) or 0)
+   elseif deps_mode == "all" or deps_mode == "order" then
+      local use = false
+      if deps_mode == "all" then
+         use = true
+      end
+      for _, tree in ipairs(cfg.rocks_trees) do
+         if dir.normalize(path.rocks_tree_to_string(tree)) == dir.normalize(path.rocks_tree_to_string(cfg.root_dir)) then
+            use = true
+         end
+         if use then
+            table.insert(result, (fn(tree, ...)) or 0)
+         end
+      end
+   end
+   return result
+end
+return path
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/persist.lua b/src/luarocks/core/persist.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..48979184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/persist.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+local persist = {}
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+--- Load and run a Lua file in an environment.
+-- @param filename string: the name of the file.
+-- @param env table: the environment table.
+-- @return (true, any) or (nil, string, string): true and the return value
+-- of the file, or nil, an error message and an error code ("open", "load"
+-- or "run") in case of errors.
+local function run_file(filename, env)
+   local fd, err = io.open(filename)
+   if not fd then
+      return nil, err, "open"
+   end
+   local str, err = fd:read("*a")
+   fd:close()
+   if not str then
+      return nil, err, "open"
+   end
+   str = str:gsub("^#![^\n]*\n", "")
+   local chunk, ran
+   if _VERSION == "Lua 5.1" then -- Lua 5.1
+      chunk, err = loadstring(str, filename)
+      if chunk then
+         setfenv(chunk, env)
+         ran, err = pcall(chunk)
+      end
+   else -- Lua 5.2
+      chunk, err = load(str, filename, "t", env)
+      if chunk then
+         ran, err = pcall(chunk)
+      end
+   end
+   if not chunk then
+      return nil, "Error loading file: "..err, "load"
+   end
+   if not ran then
+      return nil, "Error running file: "..err, "run"
+   end
+   return true, err
+end
+--- Load a Lua file containing assignments, storing them in a table.
+-- The global environment is not propagated to the loaded file.
+-- @param filename string: the name of the file.
+-- @param tbl table or nil: if given, this table is used to store
+-- loaded values.
+-- @return (table, table) or (nil, string, string): a table with the file's assignments
+-- as fields and set of undefined globals accessed in file,
+-- or nil, an error message and an error code ("open"; couldn't open the file,
+-- "load"; compile-time error, or "run"; run-time error)
+-- in case of errors.
+function persist.load_into_table(filename, tbl)
+   assert(type(filename) == "string")
+   assert(type(tbl) == "table" or not tbl)
+   local result = tbl or {}
+   local globals = {}
+   local globals_mt = {
+      __index = function(t, k)
+         globals[k] = true
+      end
+   }
+   local save_mt = getmetatable(result)
+   setmetatable(result, globals_mt)
+   
+   local ok, err, errcode = run_file(filename, result)
+   
+   setmetatable(result, save_mt)
+   if not ok then
+      return nil, err, errcode
+   end
+   return result, globals
+end
+return persist
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/type_check.lua b/src/luarocks/core/type_check.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2e14efd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/type_check.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+local type_check = {}
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
+local deps = require("luarocks.core.deps")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+type_check.string_1 = { _type = "string" }
+type_check.number_1 = { _type = "number" }
+type_check.mandatory_string_1 = { _type = "string", _mandatory = true }
+local number_1 = type_check.number_1
+local string_1 = type_check.string_1
+local mandatory_string_1 = type_check.mandatory_string_1
+local manifest_types = {
+   repository = {
+      _mandatory = true,
+      -- packages
+      _any = {
+         -- versions
+         _any = {
+            -- items
+            _any = {
+               arch = mandatory_string_1,
+               modules = { _any = string_1 },
+               commands = { _any = string_1 },
+               dependencies = { _any = string_1 },
+               -- TODO: to be extended with more metadata.
+            }
+         }
+      }
+   },
+   modules = {
+      _mandatory = true,
+      -- modules
+      _any = {
+         -- providers
+         _any = string_1
+      }
+   },
+   commands = {
+      _mandatory = true,
+      -- modules
+      _any = {
+         -- commands
+         _any = string_1
+      }
+   },
+   dependencies = {
+      -- each module
+      _any = {
+         -- each version
+         _any = {
+            -- each dependency
+            _any = {
+               name = string_1,
+               constraints = {
+                  _any = {
+                     no_upgrade = { _type = "boolean" },
+                     op = string_1,
+                     version = {
+                        string = string_1,
+                        _any = number_1,
+                     }
+                  }
+               }
+            }
+         }
+      }
+   }
+}
+local function check_version(version, typetbl, context)
+   local typetbl_version = typetbl._version or "1.0"
+   if deps.compare_versions(typetbl_version, version) then
+      if context == "" then
+         return nil, "Invalid rockspec_format version number in rockspec? Please fix rockspec accordingly."
+      else
+         return nil, context.." is not supported in rockspec format "..version.." (requires version "..typetbl_version.."), please fix the rockspec_format field accordingly."
+      end
+   end
+   return true
+end
+--- Type check an object.
+-- The object is compared against an archetypical value
+-- matching the expected type -- the actual values don't matter,
+-- only their types. Tables are type checked recursively.
+-- @param version string: The version of the item.
+-- @param item any: The object being checked.
+-- @param typetbl any: The type-checking table for the object.
+-- @param context string: A string indicating the "context" where the
+-- error occurred (the full table path), for error messages.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
+-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
+-- @see type_check_table
+local function type_check_item(version, item, typetbl, context)
+   assert(type(version) == "string")
+   
+   local ok, err = check_version(version, typetbl, context)
+   if not ok then
+      return nil, err
+   end
+   
+   local item_type = type(item) or "nil"
+   local expected_type = typetbl._type or "table"
+   
+   if expected_type == "number" then
+      if not tonumber(item) then
+         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a number"
+      end
+   elseif expected_type == "string" then
+      if item_type ~= "string" then
+         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a string, got "..item_type
+      end
+      if typetbl._pattern then
+         if not item:match("^"..typetbl._pattern.."$") then
+            return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": invalid value "..item.." does not match '"..typetbl._pattern.."'"
+         end
+      end
+   elseif expected_type == "table" then
+      if item_type ~= expected_type then
+         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a table"
+      else
+         return type_check.type_check_table(version, item, typetbl, context)
+      end
+   elseif item_type ~= expected_type then
+      return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected "..expected_type
+   end
+   return true
+end
+local function mkfield(context, field)
+   if context == "" then
+      return field
+   end
+   return context.."."..field
+end
+--- Type check the contents of a table.
+-- The table's contents are compared against a reference table,
+-- which contains the recognized fields, with archetypical values
+-- matching the expected types -- the actual values of items in the
+-- reference table don't matter, only their types (ie, for field x
+-- in tbl that is correctly typed, type(tbl.x) == type(types.x)).
+-- If the reference table contains a field called MORE, then
+-- unknown fields in the checked table are accepted.
+-- If it contains a field called ANY, then its type will be 
+-- used to check any unknown fields. If a field is prefixed
+-- with MUST_, it is mandatory; its absence from the table is
+-- a type error.
+-- Tables are type checked recursively.
+-- @param version string: The version of tbl.
+-- @param tbl table: The table to be type checked.
+-- @param typetbl table: The type-checking table, containing
+-- values for recognized fields in the checked table.
+-- @param context string: A string indicating the "context" where the
+-- error occurred (such as the name of the table the item is a part of),
+-- to be used by error messages.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
+-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
+function type_check.type_check_table(version, tbl, typetbl, context)
+   assert(type(version) == "string")
+   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
+   assert(type(typetbl) == "table")
+   
+   local ok, err = check_version(version, typetbl, context)
+   if not ok then
+      return nil, err
+   end
+   
+   for k, v in pairs(tbl) do
+      local t = typetbl[k] or typetbl._any
+      if t then 
+         local ok, err = type_check_item(version, v, t, mkfield(context, k))
+         if not ok then return nil, err end
+      elseif typetbl._more then
+         -- Accept unknown field
+      else
+         if not cfg.accept_unknown_fields then
+            return nil, "Unknown field "..k
+         end
+      end
+   end
+   for k, v in pairs(typetbl) do
+      if k:sub(1,1) ~= "_" and v._mandatory then
+         if not tbl[k] then
+            return nil, "Mandatory field "..mkfield(context, k).." is missing."
+         end
+      end
+   end
+   return true
+end
+function type_check.check_undeclared_globals(globals, typetbl)
+   local undeclared = {}
+   for glob, _ in pairs(globals) do
+      if not (typetbl[glob] or typetbl["MUST_"..glob]) then
+         table.insert(undeclared, glob)
+      end
+   end
+   if #undeclared == 1 then
+      return nil, "Unknown variable: "..undeclared[1]
+   elseif #undeclared > 1 then
+      return nil, "Unknown variables: "..table.concat(undeclared, ", ")
+   end
+   return true
+end
+--- Type check a manifest table.
+-- Verify the correctness of elements from a 
+-- manifest table, reporting on unknown fields and type
+-- mismatches.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
+-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
+function type_check.type_check_manifest(manifest, globals)
+   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
+   local ok, err = type_check.check_undeclared_globals(globals, manifest_types)
+   if not ok then return nil, err end
+   return type_check.type_check_table("1.0", manifest, manifest_types, "")
+end
+return type_check
diff --git a/src/luarocks/core/util.lua b/src/luarocks/core/util.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f896b17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/core/util.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+local util = {}
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+--- Run a process and read a its output.
+-- Equivalent to io.popen(cmd):read("*l"), except that it 
+-- closes the fd right away.
+-- @param cmd string: The command to execute
+-- @param spec string: "*l" by default, to read a single line.
+-- May be used to read more, passing, for instance, "*a".
+-- @return string: the output of the program.
+function util.popen_read(cmd, spec)
+   local fd = io.popen(cmd)
+   local out = fd:read(spec or "*l")
+   fd:close()
+   return out
+end
+--- Create a new shallow copy of a table: a new table with
+-- the same keys and values. Keys point to the same objects as
+-- the original table (ie, does not copy recursively).
+-- @param tbl table: the input table
+-- @return table: a new table with the same contents.
+function util.make_shallow_copy(tbl)
+   local copy = {}
+   for k,v in pairs(tbl) do
+      copy[k] = v
+   end
+   return copy
+end
+---
+-- Formats tables with cycles recursively to any depth.
+-- References to other tables are shown as values.
+-- Self references are indicated.
+-- The string returned is "Lua code", which can be procesed
+-- (in the case in which indent is composed by spaces or "--").
+-- Userdata and function keys and values are shown as strings,
+-- which logically are exactly not equivalent to the original code.
+-- This routine can serve for pretty formating tables with
+-- proper indentations, apart from printing them:
+-- io.write(table.show(t, "t"))   -- a typical use
+-- Written by Julio Manuel Fernandez-Diaz,
+-- Heavily based on "Saving tables with cycles", PIL2, p. 113.
+-- @param t table: is the table.
+-- @param name string: is the name of the table (optional)
+-- @param indent string: is a first indentation (optional).
+-- @return string: the pretty-printed table
+function util.show_table(t, name, indent)
+   local cart     -- a container
+   local autoref  -- for self references
+   local function is_empty_table(t) return next(t) == nil end
+   
+   local function basic_serialize (o)
+      local so = tostring(o)
+      if type(o) == "function" then
+         local info = debug.getinfo(o, "S")
+         -- info.name is nil because o is not a calling level
+         if info.what == "C" then
+            return ("%q"):format(so .. ", C function")
+         else 
+            -- the information is defined through lines
+            return ("%q"):format(so .. ", defined in (" .. info.linedefined .. "-" .. info.lastlinedefined .. ")" .. info.source)
+         end
+      elseif type(o) == "number" then
+         return so
+      else
+         return ("%q"):format(so)
+      end
+   end
+   
+   local function add_to_cart (value, name, indent, saved, field)
+      indent = indent or ""
+      saved = saved or {}
+      field = field or name
+      
+      cart = cart .. indent .. field
+      
+      if type(value) ~= "table" then
+         cart = cart .. " = " .. basic_serialize(value) .. ";\n"
+      else
+         if saved[value] then
+            cart = cart .. " = {}; -- " .. saved[value] .. " (self reference)\n"
+            autoref = autoref ..  name .. " = " .. saved[value] .. ";\n"
+         else
+            saved[value] = name
+            --if tablecount(value) == 0 then
+            if is_empty_table(value) then
+               cart = cart .. " = {};\n"
+            else
+               cart = cart .. " = {\n"
+               for k, v in pairs(value) do
+                  k = basic_serialize(k)
+                  local fname = ("%s[%s]"):format(name, k)
+                  field = ("[%s]"):format(k)
+                  -- three spaces between levels
+                  add_to_cart(v, fname, indent .. "   ", saved, field)
+               end
+               cart = cart .. indent .. "};\n"
+            end
+         end
+      end
+   end
+   
+   name = name or "__unnamed__"
+   if type(t) ~= "table" then
+      return name .. " = " .. basic_serialize(t)
+   end
+   cart, autoref = "", ""
+   add_to_cart(t, name, indent)
+   return cart .. autoref
+end
+--- Merges contents of src on top of dst's contents.
+-- @param dst Destination table, which will receive src's contents.
+-- @param src Table which provides new contents to dst.
+-- @see platform_overrides
+function util.deep_merge(dst, src)
+   for k, v in pairs(src) do
+      if type(v) == "table" then
+         if not dst[k] then
+            dst[k] = {}
+         end
+         if type(dst[k]) == "table" then
+            util.deep_merge(dst[k], v)
+         else
+            dst[k] = v
+         end
+      else
+         dst[k] = v
+      end
+   end
+end
+--- Remove repeated entries from a path-style string.
+-- Example: given ("a;b;c;a;b;d", ";"), returns "a;b;c;d".
+-- @param list string: A path string (from $PATH or package.path)
+-- @param sep string: The separator
+function util.remove_path_dupes(list, sep)
+   assert(type(list) == "string")
+   assert(type(sep) == "string")
+   local parts = util.split_string(list, sep)
+   local final, entries = {}, {}
+   for _, part in ipairs(parts) do
+      part = part:gsub("//", "/")
+      if not entries[part] then
+         table.insert(final, part)
+         entries[part] = true
+      end
+   end
+   return table.concat(final, sep)
+end
+-- from http://lua-users.org/wiki/SplitJoin
+-- by Philippe Lhoste
+function util.split_string(str, delim, maxNb)
+   -- Eliminate bad cases...
+   if string.find(str, delim) == nil then
+      return { str }
+   end
+   if maxNb == nil or maxNb < 1 then
+      maxNb = 0    -- No limit
+   end
+   local result = {}
+   local pat = "(.-)" .. delim .. "()"
+   local nb = 0
+   local lastPos
+   for part, pos in string.gmatch(str, pat) do
+      nb = nb + 1
+      result[nb] = part
+      lastPos = pos
+      if nb == maxNb then break end
+   end
+   -- Handle the last field
+   if nb ~= maxNb then
+      result[nb + 1] = string.sub(str, lastPos)
+   end
+   return result
+end
+--- Return an array of keys of a table.
+-- @param tbl table: The input table.
+-- @return table: The array of keys.
+function util.keys(tbl)
+   local ks = {}
+   for k,_ in pairs(tbl) do
+      table.insert(ks, k)
+   end
+   return ks
+end
+--- Print a line to standard error
+function util.printerr(...)
+   io.stderr:write(table.concat({...},"\t"))
+   io.stderr:write("\n")
+end
+return util
diff --git a/src/luarocks/deps.lua b/src/luarocks/deps.lua
index 0d85d33e..acbf1dd6 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/deps.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/deps.lua
@@ -12,14 +12,23 @@
 -- test/test_deps.lua file included with LuaRocks provides some
 -- insights on what these criteria are.
 local deps = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.deps"] = deps
+setmetatable(deps, { __index = require("luarocks.core.deps") })
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
-local manif_core = require("luarocks.manif_core")
+local manif = require("luarocks.core.manif")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
+--- Check if rockspec format version satisfies version requirement.
+-- @param rockspec table: The rockspec table.
+-- @param version string: required version.
+-- @return boolean: true if rockspec format matches version or is newer, false otherwise.
+function deps.format_is_at_least(rockspec, version)
+   local rockspec_format = rockspec.rockspec_format or "1.0"
+   return deps.parse_version(rockspec_format) >= deps.parse_version(version)
+end
 local operators = {
   ["=="] = "==",
   ["~="] = "~=",
@@ -34,139 +43,6 @@ local operators = {
   ["!="] = "~="
 }
-local deltas = {
-   scm =    1100,
-   cvs =    1000,
-   rc =    -1000,
-   pre =   -10000,
-   beta =  -100000,
-   alpha = -1000000
-}
-local version_mt = {
-   --- Equality comparison for versions.
-   -- All version numbers must be equal.
-   -- If both versions have revision numbers, they must be equal;
-   -- otherwise the revision number is ignored.
-   -- @param v1 table: version table to compare.
-   -- @param v2 table: version table to compare.
-   -- @return boolean: true if they are considered equivalent.
-   __eq = function(v1, v2)
-      if #v1 ~= #v2 then
-         return false
-      end
-      for i = 1, #v1 do
-         if v1[i] ~= v2[i] then
-            return false
-         end
-      end
-      if v1.revision and v2.revision then
-         return (v1.revision == v2.revision)
-      end
-      return true
-   end,
-   --- Size comparison for versions.
-   -- All version numbers are compared.
-   -- If both versions have revision numbers, they are compared;
-   -- otherwise the revision number is ignored.
-   -- @param v1 table: version table to compare.
-   -- @param v2 table: version table to compare.
-   -- @return boolean: true if v1 is considered lower than v2.
-   __lt = function(v1, v2)
-      for i = 1, math.max(#v1, #v2) do
-         local v1i, v2i = v1[i] or 0, v2[i] or 0
-         if v1i ~= v2i then
-            return (v1i < v2i)
-         end
-      end
-      if v1.revision and v2.revision then
-         return (v1.revision < v2.revision)
-      end
-      return false
-   end
-}
-local version_cache = {}
-setmetatable(version_cache, {
-   __mode = "kv"
-})
--- Parse a version string, converting to table format.
-- A version table contains all components of the version string
-- converted to numeric format, stored in the array part of the table.
-- If the version contains a revision, it is stored numerically
-- in the 'revision' field. The original string representation of
-- the string is preserved in the 'string' field.
-- Returned version tables use a metatable
-- allowing later comparison through relational operators.
-- @param vstring string: A version number in string format.
-- @return table or nil: A version table or nil
-- if the input string contains invalid characters.
-function deps.parse_version(vstring)
-   if not vstring then return nil end
-   assert(type(vstring) == "string")
-   local cached = version_cache[vstring]
-   if cached then
-      return cached
-   end
-   local version = {}
-   local i = 1
-   local function add_token(number)
-      version[i] = version[i] and version[i] + number/100000 or number
-      i = i + 1
-   end
-   
-   -- trim leading and trailing spaces
-   vstring = vstring:match("^%s*(.*)%s*$")
-   version.string = vstring
-   -- store revision separately if any
-   local main, revision = vstring:match("(.*)%-(%d+)$")
-   if revision then
-      vstring = main
-      version.revision = tonumber(revision)
-   end
-   while #vstring > 0 do
-      -- extract a number
-      local token, rest = vstring:match("^(%d+)[%.%-%_]*(.*)")
-      if token then
-         add_token(tonumber(token))
-      else
-         -- extract a word
-         token, rest = vstring:match("^(%a+)[%.%-%_]*(.*)")
-         if not token then
-            util.printerr("Warning: version number '"..vstring.."' could not be parsed.")
-            version[i] = 0
-            break
-         end
-         version[i] = deltas[token] or (token:byte() / 1000)
-      end
-      vstring = rest
-   end
-   setmetatable(version, version_mt)
-   version_cache[vstring] = version
-   return version
-end
--- Utility function to compare version numbers given as strings.
-- @param a string: one version.
-- @param b string: another version.
-- @return boolean: True if a > b.
-function deps.compare_versions(a, b)
-   return deps.parse_version(a) > deps.parse_version(b)
-end
--- Check if rockspec format version satisfies version requirement.
-- @param rockspec table: The rockspec table.
-- @param version string: required version.
-- @return boolean: true if rockspec format matches version or is newer, false otherwise.
-function deps.format_is_at_least(rockspec, version)
-   local rockspec_format = rockspec.rockspec_format or "1.0"
-   return deps.parse_version(rockspec_format) >= deps.parse_version(version)
-end
 --- Consumes a constraint from a string, converting it to table format.
 -- For example, a string ">= 1.0, > 2.0" is converted to a table in the
 -- format {op = ">=", version={1,0}} and the rest, "> 2.0", is returned
@@ -201,7 +77,7 @@ end
 function deps.parse_constraints(input)
   assert(type(input) == "string")
-   local constraints, constraint, oinput = {}, nil, input
+   local constraints, oinput, constraint = {}, input
   while #input > 0 do
      constraint, input = parse_constraint(input)
      if constraint then
@@ -267,65 +143,6 @@ function deps.show_dep(dep, internal)
   end
 end
--- A more lenient check for equivalence between versions.
-- This returns true if the requested components of a version
-- match and ignore the ones that were not given. For example,
-- when requesting "2", then "2", "2.1", "2.3.5-9"... all match.
-- When requesting "2.1", then "2.1", "2.1.3" match, but "2.2"
-- doesn't.
-- @param version string or table: Version to be tested; may be
-- in string format or already parsed into a table.
-- @param requested string or table: Version requested; may be
-- in string format or already parsed into a table.
-- @return boolean: True if the tested version matches the requested
-- version, false otherwise.
-local function partial_match(version, requested)
-   assert(type(version) == "string" or type(version) == "table")
-   assert(type(requested) == "string" or type(version) == "table")
-   if type(version) ~= "table" then version = deps.parse_version(version) end
-   if type(requested) ~= "table" then requested = deps.parse_version(requested) end
-   if not version or not requested then return false end
-   
-   for i, ri in ipairs(requested) do
-      local vi = version[i] or 0
-      if ri ~= vi then return false end
-   end
-   if requested.revision then
-      return requested.revision == version.revision
-   end
-   return true
-end
--- Check if a version satisfies a set of constraints.
-- @param version table: A version in table format
-- @param constraints table: An array of constraints in table format.
-- @return boolean: True if version satisfies all constraints,
-- false otherwise.
-function deps.match_constraints(version, constraints)
-   assert(type(version) == "table")
-   assert(type(constraints) == "table")
-   local ok = true
-   setmetatable(version, version_mt)
-   for _, constr in pairs(constraints) do
-      if type(constr.version) == "string" then
-         constr.version = deps.parse_version(constr.version)
-      end
-      local constr_version, constr_op = constr.version, constr.op
-      setmetatable(constr_version, version_mt)
-      if     constr_op == "==" then ok = version == constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == "~=" then ok = version ~= constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == ">"  then ok = version >  constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == "<"  then ok = version <  constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == ">=" then ok = version >= constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == "<=" then ok = version <= constr_version
-      elseif constr_op == "~>" then ok = partial_match(version, constr_version)
-      end
-      if not ok then break end
-   end
-   return ok
-end
 --- Attempt to match a dependency to an installed rock.
 -- @param dep table: A dependency parsed in table format.
 -- @param blacklist table: Versions that can't be accepted. Table where keys
@@ -344,7 +161,7 @@ local function match_dep(dep, blacklist, deps_mode, rocks_provided)
      -- Provided rocks have higher priority than manifest's rocks.
      versions = { provided }
   else
-      versions = manif_core.get_versions(dep.name, deps_mode)
+      versions = manif.get_versions(dep.name, deps_mode)
   end
   local latest_version
@@ -431,7 +248,8 @@ function deps.fulfill_dependencies(rockspec, deps_mode)
      end
      local supported = nil
      for _, plat in pairs(rockspec.supported_platforms) do
-         local neg, plat = plat:match("^(!?)(.*)")
+         local neg
+         neg, plat = plat:match("^(!?)(.*)")
         if neg == "!" then
            if deps.platforms_set[plat] then
               return nil, "This rockspec for "..rockspec.package.." does not support "..plat.." platforms."
@@ -704,7 +522,6 @@ function deps.scan_deps(results, missing, manifest, name, version, deps_mode)
   local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
-   local err
   if results[name] then
      return results, missing
   end
diff --git a/src/luarocks/dir.lua b/src/luarocks/dir.lua
index f72ebd6c..ad7fb870 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/dir.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/dir.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 --- Generic utilities for handling pathnames.
 local dir = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.dir"] = dir
+setmetatable(dir, { __index = require("luarocks.core.dir") })
-dir.separator = "/"
 --- Strip the path off a path+filename.
 -- @param pathname string: A path+name, such as "/a/b/c"
@@ -26,49 +24,4 @@ function dir.dir_name(pathname)
   return (pathname:gsub("/*$", ""):match("(.*)[/]+[^/]*")) or ""
 end
--- Describe a path in a cross-platform way.
-- Use this function to avoid platform-specific directory
-- separators in other modules. Removes trailing slashes from
-- each component given, to avoid repeated separators.
-- Separators inside strings are kept, to handle URLs containing
-- protocols.
-- @param ... strings representing directories
-- @return string: a string with a platform-specific representation
-- of the path.
-function dir.path(...)
-   local t = {...}
-   while t[1] == "" do
-      table.remove(t, 1)
-   end
-   return (table.concat(t, "/"):gsub("([^:])/+", "%1/"):gsub("^/+", "/"):gsub("/*$", ""))
-end
--- Split protocol and path from an URL or local pathname.
-- URLs should be in the "protocol://path" format.
-- For local pathnames, "file" is returned as the protocol.
-- @param url string: an URL or a local pathname.
-- @return string, string: the protocol, and the pathname without the protocol.
-function dir.split_url(url)
-   assert(type(url) == "string")
-   
-   local protocol, pathname = url:match("^([^:]*)://(.*)")
-   if not protocol then
-      protocol = "file"
-      pathname = url
-   end
-   return protocol, pathname
-end
--- Normalize a url or local path.
-- URLs should be in the "protocol://path" format. System independent
-- forward slashes are used, removing trailing and double slashes
-- @param url string: an URL or a local pathname.
-- @return string: Normalized result.
-function dir.normalize(name)
-   local protocol, pathname = dir.split_url(name)
-   pathname = pathname:gsub("\\", "/"):gsub("(.)/*$", "%1"):gsub("//", "/")
-   if protocol ~= "file" then pathname = protocol .."://"..pathname end
-   return pathname
-end
 return dir
diff --git a/src/luarocks/doc.lua b/src/luarocks/doc.lua
index 758fd9c5..8378bbc2 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/doc.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/doc.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "doc" command.
 -- Shows documentation for an installed rock.
 local doc = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.doc"] = doc
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local show = require("luarocks.show")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/download.lua b/src/luarocks/download.lua
index d793cab7..c81958de 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/download.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/download.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the luarocks "download" command.
 -- Download a rock from the repository.
 local download = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.download"] = download
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
@@ -10,7 +9,7 @@ local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local search = require("luarocks.search")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 download.help_summary = "Download a specific rock file from a rocks server."
 download.help_arguments = "[--all] [--arch=<arch> | --source | --rockspec] [<name> [<version>]]"
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fetch.lua b/src/luarocks/fetch.lua
index 2590afd4..9bf1922a 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fetch.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fetch.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 --- Functions related to fetching and loading local and remote files.
 local fetch = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.fetch"] = fetch
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
@@ -10,7 +9,7 @@ local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 function fetch.is_basic_protocol(protocol, remote)
   return protocol == "http" or protocol == "https" or protocol == "ftp" or (not remote and protocol == "file")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs.lua b/src/luarocks/fs.lua
index 54cc7d73..7322e552 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs.lua
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
 local pairs = pairs
 local fs = {}
+-- To avoid a loop when loading the other fs modules.
 package.loaded["luarocks.fs"] = fs
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local pack = table.pack or function(...) return { n = select("#", ...), ... } end
 local unpack = table.unpack or unpack
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/lua.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/lua.lua
index a31cbb4e..770da2b7 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/lua.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/lua.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local fs_lua = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/tools.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/tools.lua
index ed51b545..d2062ed8 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/tools.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/tools.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local tools = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local vars = cfg.variables
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/unix.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/unix.lua
index 5c6b542c..df9d256d 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/unix.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/unix.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local unix = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/unix/tools.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/unix/tools.lua
index d0802725..d9dc009f 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/unix/tools.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/unix/tools.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local tools = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local vars = cfg.variables
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/win32.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/win32.lua
index 8debaeef..c03db6a0 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/win32.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/win32.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local win32 = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/fs/win32/tools.lua b/src/luarocks/fs/win32/tools.lua
index 4adc78d1..7f6b853e 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/fs/win32/tools.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/fs/win32/tools.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local tools = {}
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local vars = cfg.variables
diff --git a/src/luarocks/help.lua b/src/luarocks/help.lua
index 5bac77ce..51e2cf57 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/help.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/help.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 local help = {}
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local program = util.this_program("luarocks")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/index.lua b/src/luarocks/index.lua
index e1f563ef..468f5cf8 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/index.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/index.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 --- Module which builds the index.html page to be used in rocks servers.
 local index = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.index"] = index
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/install.lua b/src/luarocks/install.lua
index 10d57f37..c4139fd0 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/install.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/install.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "install" command.
 -- Installs binary rocks.
 local install = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.install"] = install
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
@@ -9,9 +8,9 @@ local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local remove = require("luarocks.remove")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 install.help_summary = "Install a rock."
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ function install.install_binary_rock(rock_file, deps_mode)
   -- For compatibility with .rock files built with LuaRocks 1
   if not fs.exists(path.rock_manifest_file(name, version)) then
-      ok, err = manif.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
+      ok, err = writer.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
      if err then return nil, err end
   end
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ function install.install_binary_rock(rock_file, deps_mode)
   ok, err = repos.run_hook(rockspec, "post_install")
   if err then return nil, err end
   
-   ok, err = manif.update_manifest(name, version, nil, deps_mode)
+   ok, err = writer.update_manifest(name, version, nil, deps_mode)
   if err then return nil, err end
   
   util.announce_install(rockspec)
diff --git a/src/luarocks/lint.lua b/src/luarocks/lint.lua
index 4c30804b..742f1736 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/lint.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/lint.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "lint" command.
 -- Utility function that checks syntax of the rockspec.
 local lint = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.lint"] = lint
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local download = require("luarocks.download")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/list.lua b/src/luarocks/list.lua
index 8c9c5107..45f1a26f 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/list.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/list.lua
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "list" command.
 -- Lists currently installed rocks.
 local list = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.list"] = list
 local search = require("luarocks.search")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/loader.lua b/src/luarocks/loader.lua
index 26280e94..0faaebda 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/loader.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/loader.lua
@@ -6,21 +6,24 @@
 -- used to load previous modules, so that the loader chooses versions
 -- that are declared to be compatible with the ones loaded earlier.
 local loaders = package.loaders or package.searchers
-local package, require, ipairs, table, type, next, tostring, error =
+local require, ipairs, table, type, next, tostring, error =
-      package, require, ipairs, table, type, next, tostring, error
+      require, ipairs, table, type, next, tostring, error
 local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
--module("luarocks.loader")
 local loader = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.loader"] = loader
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local is_clean = not package.loaded["luarocks.core.cfg"]
+-- This loader module depends only on core modules.
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 cfg.init_package_paths()
-local path = require("luarocks.path")
+local path = require("luarocks.core.path")
-local manif_core = require("luarocks.manif_core")
+local manif = require("luarocks.core.manif")
-local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
+local deps = require("luarocks.core.deps")
-local util = require("luarocks.util")
+local util = require("luarocks.core.util")
+local require = nil
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 loader.context = {}
@@ -33,7 +36,7 @@ local function load_rocks_trees()
   local any_ok = false
   local trees = {}
   for _, tree in ipairs(cfg.rocks_trees) do
-      local manifest, err = manif_core.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(tree))
+      local manifest, err = manif.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(tree))
      if manifest then
         any_ok = true
         table.insert(trees, {tree=tree, manifest=manifest})
@@ -217,4 +220,12 @@ end
 table.insert(loaders, 1, loader.luarocks_loader)
+if is_clean then
+   for modname, _ in pairs(package.loaded) do
+      if modname:match("^luarocks%.") then
+         package.loaded[modname] = nil
+      end
+   end
+end
 return loader
diff --git a/src/luarocks/make.lua b/src/luarocks/make.lua
index 476150eb..eb38bff0 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/make.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/make.lua
@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@
 -- it does not fetch sources, etc., assuming everything is 
 -- available in the current directory.
 local make = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.make"] = make
 local build = require("luarocks.build")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local pack = require("luarocks.pack")
 local remove = require("luarocks.remove")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/manif.lua b/src/luarocks/manif.lua
index e30c2a33..c4da9a8e 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/manif.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/manif.lua
@@ -3,41 +3,18 @@
 -- They are loaded into manifest tables, which are then used for
 -- performing searches, matching dependencies, etc.
 local manif = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.manif"] = manif
+setmetatable(manif, { __index = require("luarocks.core.manif") })
-local manif_core = require("luarocks.manif_core")
 local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local search = require("luarocks.search")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
-local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
-local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 manif.rock_manifest_cache = {}
--- Commit a table to disk in given local path.
-- @param where string: The directory where the table should be saved.
-- @param name string: The filename.
-- @param tbl table: The table to be saved.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if successful, or nil and a
-- message in case of errors.
-local function save_table(where, name, tbl)
-   assert(type(where) == "string")
-   assert(type(name) == "string")
-   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
-   local filename = dir.path(where, name)
-   local ok, err = persist.save_from_table(filename..".tmp", tbl)
-   if ok then
-      ok, err = fs.replace_file(filename, filename..".tmp")
-   end
-   return ok, err
-end
 function manif.load_rock_manifest(name, version, root)
   assert(type(name) == "string")
   assert(type(version) == "string")
@@ -53,38 +30,6 @@ function manif.load_rock_manifest(name, version, root)
   return rock_manifest.rock_manifest
 end
-function manif.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
-   local install_dir = path.install_dir(name, version)
-   local rock_manifest = path.rock_manifest_file(name, version)
-   local tree = {}
-   for _, file in ipairs(fs.find(install_dir)) do
-      local full_path = dir.path(install_dir, file)
-      local walk = tree
-      local last
-      local last_name
-      for name in file:gmatch("[^/]+") do
-         local next = walk[name]
-         if not next then
-            next = {}
-            walk[name] = next
-         end
-         last = walk
-         last_name = name
-         walk = next
-      end
-      if fs.is_file(full_path) then
-         local sum, err = fs.get_md5(full_path)
-         if not sum then
-            return nil, "Failed producing checksum: "..tostring(err)
-         end
-         last[last_name] = sum
-      end
-   end
-   rock_manifest = { rock_manifest=tree }
-   manif.rock_manifest_cache[name.."/"..version] = rock_manifest
-   save_table(install_dir, "rock_manifest", rock_manifest )
-end
 local function fetch_manifest_from(repo_url, filename)
   local url = dir.path(repo_url, filename)
   local name = repo_url:gsub("[/:]","_")
@@ -112,7 +57,7 @@ function manif.load_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
   assert(type(lua_version) == "string" or not lua_version)
   lua_version = lua_version or cfg.lua_version
-   local cached_manifest = manif_core.get_cached_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
+   local cached_manifest = manif.get_cached_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
   if cached_manifest then
      return cached_manifest
   end
@@ -159,316 +104,14 @@ function manif.load_manifest(repo_url, lua_version)
      end
      pathname = nozip
   end
-   return manif_core.manifest_loader(pathname, repo_url, lua_version)
+   return manif.manifest_loader(pathname, repo_url, lua_version)
-end
--- Output a table listing items of a package.
-- @param itemsfn function: a function for obtaining items of a package.
-- pkg and version will be passed to it; it should return a table with
-- items as keys.
-- @param pkg string: package name
-- @param version string: package version
-- @param tbl table: the package matching table: keys should be item names
-- and values arrays of strings with packages names in "name/version" format.
-local function store_package_items(itemsfn, pkg, version, tbl)
-   assert(type(itemsfn) == "function")
-   assert(type(pkg) == "string")
-   assert(type(version) == "string")
-   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
-   local pkg_version = pkg.."/"..version
-   local result = {}
-   for item, path in pairs(itemsfn(pkg, version)) do
-      result[item] = path
-      if not tbl[item] then
-         tbl[item] = {}
-      end
-      table.insert(tbl[item], pkg_version)
-   end
-   return result
-end
--- Sort function for ordering rock identifiers in a manifest's
-- modules table. Rocks are ordered alphabetically by name, and then
-- by version which greater first.
-- @param a string: Version to compare.
-- @param b string: Version to compare.
-- @return boolean: The comparison result, according to the
-- rule outlined above.
-local function sort_pkgs(a, b)
-   assert(type(a) == "string")
-   assert(type(b) == "string")
-   local na, va = a:match("(.*)/(.*)$")
-   local nb, vb = b:match("(.*)/(.*)$")
-   return (na == nb) and deps.compare_versions(va, vb) or na < nb
-end
--- Sort items of a package matching table by version number (higher versions first).
-- @param tbl table: the package matching table: keys should be strings
-- and values arrays of strings with packages names in "name/version" format.
-local function sort_package_matching_table(tbl)
-   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
-   if next(tbl) then
-      for item, pkgs in pairs(tbl) do
-         if #pkgs > 1 then
-            table.sort(pkgs, sort_pkgs)
-            -- Remove duplicates from the sorted array.
-            local prev = nil
-            local i = 1
-            while pkgs[i] do
-               local curr = pkgs[i]
-               if curr == prev then
-                  table.remove(pkgs, i)
-               else
-                  prev = curr
-                  i = i + 1
-               end
-            end
-         end
-      end
-   end
-end
--- Process the dependencies of a manifest table to determine its dependency
-- chains for loading modules. The manifest dependencies information is filled
-- and any dependency inconsistencies or missing dependencies are reported to
-- standard error.
-- @param manifest table: a manifest table.
-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
-- "none" for no trees.
-local function update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
-   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
-   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
-   
-   for pkg, versions in pairs(manifest.repository) do
-      for version, repositories in pairs(versions) do
-         local current = pkg.." "..version
-         for _, repo in ipairs(repositories) do
-            if repo.arch == "installed" then
-               local missing
-               repo.dependencies, missing = deps.scan_deps({}, {}, manifest, pkg, version, deps_mode)
-               repo.dependencies[pkg] = nil
-               if missing then
-                  for miss, err in pairs(missing) do
-                     if miss == current then
-                        util.printerr("Tree inconsistency detected: "..current.." has no rockspec. "..err)
-                     elseif deps_mode ~= "none" then
-                        util.printerr("Missing dependency for "..pkg.." "..version..": "..miss)
-                     end
-                  end
-               end
-            end
-         end
-      end
-   end
-end
--- Filter manifest table by Lua version, removing rockspecs whose Lua version
-- does not match.
-- @param manifest table: a manifest table.
-- @param lua_version string or nil: filter by Lua version
-- @param repodir string: directory of repository being scanned
-- @param cache table: temporary rockspec cache table
-local function filter_by_lua_version(manifest, lua_version, repodir, cache)
-   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
-   assert(type(repodir) == "string")
-   assert((not cache) or type(cache) == "table")
-   
-   cache = cache or {}
-   lua_version = deps.parse_version(lua_version)
-   for pkg, versions in pairs(manifest.repository) do
-      local to_remove = {}
-      for version, repositories in pairs(versions) do
-         for _, repo in ipairs(repositories) do
-            if repo.arch == "rockspec" then
-               local pathname = dir.path(repodir, pkg.."-"..version..".rockspec")
-               local rockspec, err = cache[pathname]
-               if not rockspec then
-                  rockspec, err = fetch.load_local_rockspec(pathname, true)
-               end
-               if rockspec then
-                  cache[pathname] = rockspec
-                  for _, dep in ipairs(rockspec.dependencies) do
-                     if dep.name == "lua" then 
-                        if not deps.match_constraints(lua_version, dep.constraints) then
-                           table.insert(to_remove, version)
-                        end
-                        break
-                     end
-                  end
-               else
-                  util.printerr("Error loading rockspec for "..pkg.." "..version..": "..err)
-               end
-            end
-         end
-      end
-      if next(to_remove) then
-         for _, incompat in ipairs(to_remove) do
-            versions[incompat] = nil
-         end
-         if not next(versions) then
-            manifest.repository[pkg] = nil
-         end
-      end
-   end
-end
--- Store search results in a manifest table.
-- @param results table: The search results as returned by search.disk_search.
-- @param manifest table: A manifest table (must contain repository, modules, commands tables).
-- It will be altered to include the search results.
-- @param dep_handler: dependency handler function
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true in case of success, or nil followed by an error message.
-local function store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
-   assert(type(results) == "table")
-   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
-   assert((not dep_handler) or type(dep_handler) == "function")
-   for name, versions in pairs(results) do
-      local pkgtable = manifest.repository[name] or {}
-      for version, entries in pairs(versions) do
-         local versiontable = {}
-         for _, entry in ipairs(entries) do
-            local entrytable = {}
-            entrytable.arch = entry.arch
-            if entry.arch == "installed" then
-               local rock_manifest = manif.load_rock_manifest(name, version)
-               if not rock_manifest then
-                  return nil, "rock_manifest file not found for "..name.." "..version.." - not a LuaRocks 2 tree?"
-               end
-               entrytable.modules = store_package_items(repos.package_modules, name, version, manifest.modules)
-               entrytable.commands = store_package_items(repos.package_commands, name, version, manifest.commands)
-            end
-            table.insert(versiontable, entrytable)
-         end
-         pkgtable[version] = versiontable
-      end
-      manifest.repository[name] = pkgtable
-   end
-   if dep_handler then
-      dep_handler(manifest)
-   end
-   sort_package_matching_table(manifest.modules)
-   sort_package_matching_table(manifest.commands)
-   return true
-end
--- Scan a LuaRocks repository and output a manifest file.
-- A file called 'manifest' will be written in the root of the given
-- repository directory.
-- @param repo A local repository directory.
-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
-- "none" for the default dependency mode from the configuration.
-- @param versioned boolean: if versioned versions of the manifest should be created.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): True if manifest was generated,
-- or nil and an error message.
-function manif.make_manifest(repo, deps_mode, remote)
-   assert(type(repo) == "string")
-   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
-   if deps_mode == "none" then deps_mode = cfg.deps_mode end
-   if not fs.is_dir(repo) then
-      return nil, "Cannot access repository at "..repo
-   end
-   local query = search.make_query("")
-   query.exact_name = false
-   query.arch = "any"
-   local results = search.disk_search(repo, query)
-   local manifest = { repository = {}, modules = {}, commands = {} }
-   manif_core.cache_manifest(repo, nil, manifest)
-   local dep_handler = nil
-   if not remote then
-      dep_handler = function(manifest)
-         update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
-      end
-   end
-   local ok, err = store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
-   if not ok then return nil, err end
-   if remote then
-      local cache = {}
-      for luaver in util.lua_versions() do
-         local vmanifest = { repository = {}, modules = {}, commands = {} }
-         local dep_handler = function(manifest)
-            filter_by_lua_version(manifest, luaver, repo, cache)
-         end
-         local ok, err = store_results(results, vmanifest, dep_handler)
-         save_table(repo, "manifest-"..luaver, vmanifest)
-      end
-   end
-   return save_table(repo, "manifest", manifest)
-end
--- Load a manifest file from a local repository and add to the repository
-- information with regard to the given name and version.
-- A file called 'manifest' will be written in the root of the given
-- repository directory.
-- @param name string: Name of a package from the repository.
-- @param version string: Version of a package from the repository.
-- @param repo string or nil: Pathname of a local repository. If not given,
-- the default local repository is used.
-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
-- "none" for using the default dependency mode from the configuration.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): True if manifest was generated,
-- or nil and an error message.
-function manif.update_manifest(name, version, repo, deps_mode)
-   assert(type(name) == "string")
-   assert(type(version) == "string")
-   repo = path.rocks_dir(repo or cfg.root_dir)
-   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
-   
-   if deps_mode == "none" then deps_mode = cfg.deps_mode end
-   local manifest, err = manif.load_manifest(repo)
-   if not manifest then
-      util.printerr("No existing manifest. Attempting to rebuild...")
-      local ok, err = manif.make_manifest(repo, deps_mode)
-      if not ok then
-         return nil, err
-      end
-      manifest, err = manif.load_manifest(repo)
-      if not manifest then
-         return nil, err
-      end
-   end
-   local results = {[name] = {[version] = {{arch = "installed", repo = repo}}}}
-   local dep_handler = function(manifest)
-      update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
-   end
-   local ok, err = store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
-   if not ok then return nil, err end
-   return save_table(repo, "manifest", manifest)
-end
-function manif.zip_manifests()
-   for ver in util.lua_versions() do
-      local file = "manifest-"..ver
-      local zip = file..".zip"
-      fs.delete(dir.path(fs.current_dir(), zip))
-      fs.zip(zip, file)
-   end
 end
 local function find_providers(file, root)
   assert(type(file) == "string")
   root = root or cfg.root_dir
-   local manifest, err = manif_core.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(root))
+   local manifest, err = manif.load_local_manifest(path.rocks_dir(root))
   if not manifest then
      return nil, "untracked"
   end
diff --git a/src/luarocks/manif/writer.lua b/src/luarocks/manif/writer.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75ea3b81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/luarocks/manif/writer.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,360 @@
+local writer = {}
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
+local search = require("luarocks.search")
+local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
+local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
+local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
+local util = require("luarocks.util")
+local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
+local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
+local path = require("luarocks.path")
+local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
+local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+--- Output a table listing items of a package.
+-- @param itemsfn function: a function for obtaining items of a package.
+-- pkg and version will be passed to it; it should return a table with
+-- items as keys.
+-- @param pkg string: package name
+-- @param version string: package version
+-- @param tbl table: the package matching table: keys should be item names
+-- and values arrays of strings with packages names in "name/version" format.
+local function store_package_items(itemsfn, pkg, version, tbl)
+   assert(type(itemsfn) == "function")
+   assert(type(pkg) == "string")
+   assert(type(version) == "string")
+   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
+   local pkg_version = pkg.."/"..version
+   local result = {}
+   for item, path in pairs(itemsfn(pkg, version)) do
+      result[item] = path
+      if not tbl[item] then
+         tbl[item] = {}
+      end
+      table.insert(tbl[item], pkg_version)
+   end
+   return result
+end
+--- Process the dependencies of a manifest table to determine its dependency
+-- chains for loading modules. The manifest dependencies information is filled
+-- and any dependency inconsistencies or missing dependencies are reported to
+-- standard error.
+-- @param manifest table: a manifest table.
+-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
+-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
+-- "none" for no trees.
+local function update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
+   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
+   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
+   
+   for pkg, versions in pairs(manifest.repository) do
+      for version, repositories in pairs(versions) do
+         local current = pkg.." "..version
+         for _, repo in ipairs(repositories) do
+            if repo.arch == "installed" then
+               local missing
+               repo.dependencies, missing = deps.scan_deps({}, {}, manifest, pkg, version, deps_mode)
+               repo.dependencies[pkg] = nil
+               if missing then
+                  for miss, err in pairs(missing) do
+                     if miss == current then
+                        util.printerr("Tree inconsistency detected: "..current.." has no rockspec. "..err)
+                     elseif deps_mode ~= "none" then
+                        util.printerr("Missing dependency for "..pkg.." "..version..": "..miss)
+                     end
+                  end
+               end
+            end
+         end
+      end
+   end
+end
+--- Sort function for ordering rock identifiers in a manifest's
+-- modules table. Rocks are ordered alphabetically by name, and then
+-- by version which greater first.
+-- @param a string: Version to compare.
+-- @param b string: Version to compare.
+-- @return boolean: The comparison result, according to the
+-- rule outlined above.
+local function sort_pkgs(a, b)
+   assert(type(a) == "string")
+   assert(type(b) == "string")
+   local na, va = a:match("(.*)/(.*)$")
+   local nb, vb = b:match("(.*)/(.*)$")
+   return (na == nb) and deps.compare_versions(va, vb) or na < nb
+end
+--- Sort items of a package matching table by version number (higher versions first).
+-- @param tbl table: the package matching table: keys should be strings
+-- and values arrays of strings with packages names in "name/version" format.
+local function sort_package_matching_table(tbl)
+   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
+   if next(tbl) then
+      for item, pkgs in pairs(tbl) do
+         if #pkgs > 1 then
+            table.sort(pkgs, sort_pkgs)
+            -- Remove duplicates from the sorted array.
+            local prev = nil
+            local i = 1
+            while pkgs[i] do
+               local curr = pkgs[i]
+               if curr == prev then
+                  table.remove(pkgs, i)
+               else
+                  prev = curr
+                  i = i + 1
+               end
+            end
+         end
+      end
+   end
+end
+--- Filter manifest table by Lua version, removing rockspecs whose Lua version
+-- does not match.
+-- @param manifest table: a manifest table.
+-- @param lua_version string or nil: filter by Lua version
+-- @param repodir string: directory of repository being scanned
+-- @param cache table: temporary rockspec cache table
+local function filter_by_lua_version(manifest, lua_version, repodir, cache)
+   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
+   assert(type(repodir) == "string")
+   assert((not cache) or type(cache) == "table")
+   
+   cache = cache or {}
+   lua_version = deps.parse_version(lua_version)
+   for pkg, versions in pairs(manifest.repository) do
+      local to_remove = {}
+      for version, repositories in pairs(versions) do
+         for _, repo in ipairs(repositories) do
+            if repo.arch == "rockspec" then
+               local pathname = dir.path(repodir, pkg.."-"..version..".rockspec")
+               local rockspec, err = cache[pathname]
+               if not rockspec then
+                  rockspec, err = fetch.load_local_rockspec(pathname, true)
+               end
+               if rockspec then
+                  cache[pathname] = rockspec
+                  for _, dep in ipairs(rockspec.dependencies) do
+                     if dep.name == "lua" then 
+                        if not deps.match_constraints(lua_version, dep.constraints) then
+                           table.insert(to_remove, version)
+                        end
+                        break
+                     end
+                  end
+               else
+                  util.printerr("Error loading rockspec for "..pkg.." "..version..": "..err)
+               end
+            end
+         end
+      end
+      if next(to_remove) then
+         for _, incompat in ipairs(to_remove) do
+            versions[incompat] = nil
+         end
+         if not next(versions) then
+            manifest.repository[pkg] = nil
+         end
+      end
+   end
+end
+--- Store search results in a manifest table.
+-- @param results table: The search results as returned by search.disk_search.
+-- @param manifest table: A manifest table (must contain repository, modules, commands tables).
+-- It will be altered to include the search results.
+-- @param dep_handler: dependency handler function
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true in case of success, or nil followed by an error message.
+local function store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
+   assert(type(results) == "table")
+   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
+   assert((not dep_handler) or type(dep_handler) == "function")
+   for name, versions in pairs(results) do
+      local pkgtable = manifest.repository[name] or {}
+      for version, entries in pairs(versions) do
+         local versiontable = {}
+         for _, entry in ipairs(entries) do
+            local entrytable = {}
+            entrytable.arch = entry.arch
+            if entry.arch == "installed" then
+               local rock_manifest = manif.load_rock_manifest(name, version)
+               if not rock_manifest then
+                  return nil, "rock_manifest file not found for "..name.." "..version.." - not a LuaRocks 2 tree?"
+               end
+               entrytable.modules = store_package_items(repos.package_modules, name, version, manifest.modules)
+               entrytable.commands = store_package_items(repos.package_commands, name, version, manifest.commands)
+            end
+            table.insert(versiontable, entrytable)
+         end
+         pkgtable[version] = versiontable
+      end
+      manifest.repository[name] = pkgtable
+   end
+   if dep_handler then
+      dep_handler(manifest)
+   end
+   sort_package_matching_table(manifest.modules)
+   sort_package_matching_table(manifest.commands)
+   return true
+end
+--- Commit a table to disk in given local path.
+-- @param where string: The directory where the table should be saved.
+-- @param name string: The filename.
+-- @param tbl table: The table to be saved.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if successful, or nil and a
+-- message in case of errors.
+local function save_table(where, name, tbl)
+   assert(type(where) == "string")
+   assert(type(name) == "string")
+   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
+   local filename = dir.path(where, name)
+   local ok, err = persist.save_from_table(filename..".tmp", tbl)
+   if ok then
+      ok, err = fs.replace_file(filename, filename..".tmp")
+   end
+   return ok, err
+end
+function writer.make_rock_manifest(name, version)
+   local install_dir = path.install_dir(name, version)
+   local tree = {}
+   for _, file in ipairs(fs.find(install_dir)) do
+      local full_path = dir.path(install_dir, file)
+      local walk = tree
+      local last
+      local last_name
+      for filename in file:gmatch("[^/]+") do
+         local next = walk[filename]
+         if not next then
+            next = {}
+            walk[filename] = next
+         end
+         last = walk
+         last_name = filename
+         walk = next
+      end
+      if fs.is_file(full_path) then
+         local sum, err = fs.get_md5(full_path)
+         if not sum then
+            return nil, "Failed producing checksum: "..tostring(err)
+         end
+         last[last_name] = sum
+      end
+   end
+   local rock_manifest = { rock_manifest=tree }
+   manif.rock_manifest_cache[name.."/"..version] = rock_manifest
+   save_table(install_dir, "rock_manifest", rock_manifest )
+end
+--- Scan a LuaRocks repository and output a manifest file.
+-- A file called 'manifest' will be written in the root of the given
+-- repository directory.
+-- @param repo A local repository directory.
+-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
+-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
+-- "none" for the default dependency mode from the configuration.
+-- @param versioned boolean: if versioned versions of the manifest should be created.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): True if manifest was generated,
+-- or nil and an error message.
+function writer.make_manifest(repo, deps_mode, remote)
+   assert(type(repo) == "string")
+   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
+   if deps_mode == "none" then deps_mode = cfg.deps_mode end
+   if not fs.is_dir(repo) then
+      return nil, "Cannot access repository at "..repo
+   end
+   local query = search.make_query("")
+   query.exact_name = false
+   query.arch = "any"
+   local results = search.disk_search(repo, query)
+   local manifest = { repository = {}, modules = {}, commands = {} }
+   manif.cache_manifest(repo, nil, manifest)
+   local dep_handler = nil
+   if not remote then
+      dep_handler = function(manifest)
+         update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
+      end
+   end
+   local ok, err = store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
+   if not ok then return nil, err end
+   if remote then
+      local cache = {}
+      for luaver in util.lua_versions() do
+         local vmanifest = { repository = {}, modules = {}, commands = {} }
+         local dep_handler = function(manifest)
+            filter_by_lua_version(manifest, luaver, repo, cache)
+         end
+         store_results(results, vmanifest, dep_handler)
+         save_table(repo, "manifest-"..luaver, vmanifest)
+      end
+   end
+   return save_table(repo, "manifest", manifest)
+end
+--- Load a manifest file from a local repository and add to the repository
+-- information with regard to the given name and version.
+-- A file called 'manifest' will be written in the root of the given
+-- repository directory.
+-- @param name string: Name of a package from the repository.
+-- @param version string: Version of a package from the repository.
+-- @param repo string or nil: Pathname of a local repository. If not given,
+-- the default local repository is used.
+-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
+-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
+-- "none" for using the default dependency mode from the configuration.
+-- @return boolean or (nil, string): True if manifest was generated,
+-- or nil and an error message.
+function writer.update_manifest(name, version, repo, deps_mode)
+   assert(type(name) == "string")
+   assert(type(version) == "string")
+   repo = path.rocks_dir(repo or cfg.root_dir)
+   assert(type(deps_mode) == "string")
+   
+   if deps_mode == "none" then deps_mode = cfg.deps_mode end
+   local manifest, err = manif.load_manifest(repo)
+   if not manifest then
+      util.printerr("No existing manifest. Attempting to rebuild...")
+      local ok, err = writer.make_manifest(repo, deps_mode)
+      if not ok then
+         return nil, err
+      end
+      manifest, err = manif.load_manifest(repo)
+      if not manifest then
+         return nil, err
+      end
+   end
+   local results = {[name] = {[version] = {{arch = "installed", repo = repo}}}}
+   local dep_handler = function(manifest)
+      update_dependencies(manifest, deps_mode)
+   end
+   local ok, err = store_results(results, manifest, dep_handler)
+   if not ok then return nil, err end
+   return save_table(repo, "manifest", manifest)
+end
+return writer
diff --git a/src/luarocks/pack.lua b/src/luarocks/pack.lua
index 3a163e92..b85653e9 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/pack.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/pack.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "pack" command.
 -- Creates a rock, packing sources or binaries.
 local pack = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.pack"] = pack
 local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
@@ -10,7 +9,7 @@ local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/path.lua b/src/luarocks/path.lua
index 6219d8c6..83e9c295 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/path.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/path.lua
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 -- All paths are configured in this module, making it a single
 -- point where the layout of the local installation is defined in LuaRocks.
 local path = {}
+setmetatable(path, { __index = require("luarocks.core.path") })
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 --- Infer rockspec filename from a rock filename.
@@ -17,29 +18,11 @@ function path.rockspec_name_from_rock(rock_name)
   return base_name:match("(.*)%.[^.]*.rock") .. ".rockspec"
 end
-function path.rocks_dir(tree)
-   if type(tree) == "string" then
-      return dir.path(tree, cfg.rocks_subdir)
-   else
-      assert(type(tree) == "table")
-      return tree.rocks_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.rocks_subdir)
-   end
-end
 function path.root_dir(rocks_dir)
   assert(type(rocks_dir) == "string")
   return rocks_dir:match("(.*)" .. util.matchquote(cfg.rocks_subdir) .. ".*$")
 end
-function path.rocks_tree_to_string(tree)
-   if type(tree) == "string" then
-      return tree
-   else
-      assert(type(tree) == "table")
-      return tree.root
-   end
-end
 function path.deploy_bin_dir(tree)
   if type(tree) == "string" then
      return dir.path(tree, "bin")
@@ -49,24 +32,6 @@ function path.deploy_bin_dir(tree)
   end
 end
-function path.deploy_lua_dir(tree)
-   if type(tree) == "string" then
-      return dir.path(tree, cfg.lua_modules_path)
-   else
-      assert(type(tree) == "table")
-      return tree.lua_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.lua_modules_path)
-   end
-end
-function path.deploy_lib_dir(tree)
-   if type(tree) == "string" then
-      return dir.path(tree, cfg.lib_modules_path)
-   else
-      assert(type(tree) == "table")
-      return tree.lib_dir or dir.path(tree.root, cfg.lib_modules_path)
-   end
-end
 function path.manifest_file(tree)
   if type(tree) == "string" then
      return dir.path(tree, cfg.rocks_subdir, "manifest")
@@ -229,39 +194,6 @@ function path.make_url(pathname, name, version, arch)
   return dir.path(pathname, filename)
 end
--- Convert a pathname to a module identifier.
-- In Unix, for example, a path "foo/bar/baz.lua" is converted to
-- "foo.bar.baz"; "bla/init.lua" returns "bla"; "foo.so" returns "foo".
-- @param file string: Pathname of module
-- @return string: The module identifier, or nil if given path is
-- not a conformant module path (the function does not check if the
-- path actually exists).
-function path.path_to_module(file)
-   assert(type(file) == "string")
-   local name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.lua_extension.."$")
-   if name then
-      name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
-      local init = name:match("(.*)%.init$")
-      if init then
-         name = init
-      end
-   else
-      name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.lib_extension.."$")
-      if name then
-         name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
-      else
-         name = file:match("(.*)%."..cfg.static_lib_extension.."$")
-         if name then
-            name = name:gsub(dir.separator, ".")
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   if not name then name = file end
-   name = name:gsub("^%.+", ""):gsub("%.+$", "")
-   return name
-end
 --- Obtain the directory name where a module should be stored.
 -- For example, on Unix, "foo.bar.baz" will return "foo/bar".
 -- @param mod string: A module name in Lua dot-separated format.
@@ -291,22 +223,6 @@ function path.configure_paths(rockspec)
   rockspec.variables = vars
 end
--- Produce a versioned version of a filename.
-- @param file string: filename (must start with prefix)
-- @param prefix string: Path prefix for file
-- @param name string: Rock name
-- @param version string: Rock version
-- @return string: a pathname with the same directory parts and a versioned basename.
-function path.versioned_name(file, prefix, name, version)
-   assert(type(file) == "string")
-   assert(type(name) == "string")
-   assert(type(version) == "string")
-   local rest = file:sub(#prefix+1):gsub("^/*", "")
-   local name_version = (name.."_"..version):gsub("%-", "_"):gsub("%.", "_")
-   return dir.path(prefix, name_version.."-"..rest)
-end
 function path.use_tree(tree)
   cfg.root_dir = tree
   cfg.rocks_dir = path.rocks_dir(tree)
@@ -315,60 +231,6 @@ function path.use_tree(tree)
   cfg.deploy_lib_dir = path.deploy_lib_dir(tree)
 end
--- Apply a given function to the active rocks trees based on chosen dependency mode.
-- @param deps_mode string: Dependency mode: "one" for the current default tree,
-- "all" for all trees, "order" for all trees with priority >= the current default,
-- "none" for no trees (this function becomes a nop).
-- @param fn function: function to be applied, with the tree dir (string) as the first
-- argument and the remaining varargs of map_trees as the following arguments.
-- @return a table with all results of invocations of fn collected.
-function path.map_trees(deps_mode, fn, ...)
-   local result = {}
-   if deps_mode == "one" then
-      table.insert(result, (fn(cfg.root_dir, ...)) or 0)
-   elseif deps_mode == "all" or deps_mode == "order" then
-      local use = false
-      if deps_mode == "all" then
-         use = true
-      end
-      for _, tree in ipairs(cfg.rocks_trees) do
-         if dir.normalize(path.rocks_tree_to_string(tree)) == dir.normalize(path.rocks_tree_to_string(cfg.root_dir)) then
-            use = true
-         end
-         if use then
-            table.insert(result, (fn(tree, ...)) or 0)
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   return result
-end
-local is_src_extension = { [".lua"] = true, [".tl"] = true, [".tld"] = true, [".moon"] = true }
--- Return the pathname of the file that would be loaded for a module, indexed.
-- @param file_name string: module file name as in manifest (eg. "socket/core.so")
-- @param name string: name of the package (eg. "luasocket")
-- @param version string: version number (eg. "2.0.2-1")
-- @param tree string: repository path (eg. "/usr/local")
-- @param i number: the index, 1 if version is the current default, > 1 otherwise.
-- This is done this way for use by select_module in luarocks.loader.
-- @return string: filename of the module (eg. "/usr/local/lib/lua/5.1/socket/core.so")
-function path.which_i(file_name, name, version, tree, i)
-   local deploy_dir
-   local extension = file_name:match("%.[a-z]+$")
-   if is_src_extension[extension] then
-      deploy_dir = path.deploy_lua_dir(tree)
-      file_name = dir.path(deploy_dir, file_name)
-   else
-      deploy_dir = path.deploy_lib_dir(tree)
-      file_name = dir.path(deploy_dir, file_name)
-   end
-   if i > 1 then
-      file_name = path.versioned_name(file_name, deploy_dir, name, version)
-   end
-   return file_name
-end
 --- Return the pathname of the file that would be loaded for a module, 
 -- returning the versioned pathname if given version is not the default version
 -- in the given manifest.
diff --git a/src/luarocks/path_cmd.lua b/src/luarocks/path_cmd.lua
index c0329977..1f5bb07f 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/path_cmd.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/path_cmd.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local path_cmd = {}
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 path_cmd.help_summary = "Return the currently configured package path."
 path_cmd.help_arguments = ""
diff --git a/src/luarocks/persist.lua b/src/luarocks/persist.lua
index c2adb570..16ff5065 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/persist.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/persist.lua
@@ -4,83 +4,10 @@
 -- Implemented separately to avoid interdependencies,
 -- as it is used in the bootstrapping stage of the cfg module.
 local persist = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.persist"] = persist
+setmetatable(persist, { __index = require("luarocks.core.persist") })
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
--- Load and run a Lua file in an environment.
-- @param filename string: the name of the file.
-- @param env table: the environment table.
-- @return (true, any) or (nil, string, string): true and the return value
-- of the file, or nil, an error message and an error code ("open", "load"
-- or "run") in case of errors.
-local function run_file(filename, env)
-   local fd, err = io.open(filename)
-   if not fd then
-      return nil, err, "open"
-   end
-   local str, err = fd:read("*a")
-   fd:close()
-   if not str then
-      return nil, err, "open"
-   end
-   str = str:gsub("^#![^\n]*\n", "")
-   local chunk, ran
-   if _VERSION == "Lua 5.1" then -- Lua 5.1
-      chunk, err = loadstring(str, filename)
-      if chunk then
-         setfenv(chunk, env)
-         ran, err = pcall(chunk)
-      end
-   else -- Lua 5.2
-      chunk, err = load(str, filename, "t", env)
-      if chunk then
-         ran, err = pcall(chunk)
-      end
-   end
-   if not chunk then
-      return nil, "Error loading file: "..err, "load"
-   end
-   if not ran then
-      return nil, "Error running file: "..err, "run"
-   end
-   return true, err
-end
--- Load a Lua file containing assignments, storing them in a table.
-- The global environment is not propagated to the loaded file.
-- @param filename string: the name of the file.
-- @param tbl table or nil: if given, this table is used to store
-- loaded values.
-- @return (table, table) or (nil, string, string): a table with the file's assignments
-- as fields and set of undefined globals accessed in file,
-- or nil, an error message and an error code ("open"; couldn't open the file,
-- "load"; compile-time error, or "run"; run-time error)
-- in case of errors.
-function persist.load_into_table(filename, tbl)
-   assert(type(filename) == "string")
-   assert(type(tbl) == "table" or not tbl)
-   local result = tbl or {}
-   local globals = {}
-   local globals_mt = {
-      __index = function(t, k)
-         globals[k] = true
-      end
-   }
-   local save_mt = getmetatable(result)
-   setmetatable(result, globals_mt)
-   
-   local ok, err, errcode = run_file(filename, result)
-   
-   setmetatable(result, save_mt)
-   if not ok then
-      return nil, err, errcode
-   end
-   return result, globals
-end
 local write_table
 --- Write a value as Lua code.
diff --git a/src/luarocks/purge.lua b/src/luarocks/purge.lua
index 18043cc3..7647a243 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/purge.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/purge.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "purge" command.
 -- Remove all rocks from a given tree.
 local purge = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.purge"] = purge
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
@@ -10,8 +9,8 @@ local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local search = require("luarocks.search")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local remove = require("luarocks.remove")
 purge.help_summary = "Remove all installed rocks from a tree."
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ function purge.command(flags)
   end
   for package, versions in util.sortedpairs(results) do
-      for version, repositories in util.sortedpairs(versions, sort) do
+      for version, _ in util.sortedpairs(versions, sort) do
         if flags["old-versions"] then
            util.printout("Keeping "..package.." "..version.."...")
            local ok, err = remove.remove_other_versions(package, version, flags["force"], flags["force-fast"])
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ function purge.command(flags)
         end
      end
   end
-   return manif.make_manifest(cfg.rocks_dir, "one")
+   return writer.make_manifest(cfg.rocks_dir, "one")
 end
 return purge
diff --git a/src/luarocks/remove.lua b/src/luarocks/remove.lua
index 3f62e89e..e2c05176 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/remove.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/remove.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "remove" command.
 -- Uninstalls rocks.
 local remove = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.remove"] = remove
 local search = require("luarocks.search")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
@@ -10,8 +9,8 @@ local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local repos = require("luarocks.repos")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
-local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
+local writer = require("luarocks.manif.writer")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 remove.help_summary = "Uninstall a rock."
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ function remove.remove_search_results(results, name, deps_mode, force, fast)
   
   local ok, err = delete_versions(name, versions)
   if not ok then return nil, err end
-   ok, err = manif.make_manifest(cfg.rocks_dir, deps_mode)
+   ok, err = writer.make_manifest(cfg.rocks_dir, deps_mode)
   if not ok then return nil, err end
   util.printout("Removal successful.")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/repos.lua b/src/luarocks/repos.lua
index 86126a13..7acb00b9 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/repos.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/repos.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 --- Functions for managing the repository on disk.
 local repos = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.repos"] = repos
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/search.lua b/src/luarocks/search.lua
index c3f00a7c..7d4f3e81 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/search.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/search.lua
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "search" command.
 -- Queries LuaRocks servers.
 local search = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.search"] = search
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local manif = require("luarocks.manif")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 search.help_summary = "Query the LuaRocks servers."
diff --git a/src/luarocks/show.lua b/src/luarocks/show.lua
index df992f5c..f0bf2164 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/show.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/show.lua
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "show" command.
 -- Shows information about an installed rock.
 local show = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.show"] = show
 local search = require("luarocks.search")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local path = require("luarocks.path")
 local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/type_check.lua b/src/luarocks/type_check.lua
index 287d8151..382d3f0a 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/type_check.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/type_check.lua
@@ -2,16 +2,12 @@
 -- Functions and definitions for doing a basic lint check on files
 -- loaded by LuaRocks.
 local type_check = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.type_check"] = type_check
+setmetatable(type_check, { __index = require("luarocks.core.type_check") })
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
-local deps = require("luarocks.deps")
 type_check.rockspec_format = "3.0"
-local string_1 = { _type = "string" }
+local string_1 = type_check.string_1
-local number_1 = { _type = "number" }
+local mandatory_string_1 = type_check.mandatory_string_1
-local mandatory_string_1 = { _type = "string", _mandatory = true }
 -- Syntax for type-checking tables:
 --
@@ -112,203 +108,6 @@ rockspec_types.external_dependencies.platforms._any = rockspec_types.external_de
 rockspec_types.source.platforms._any = rockspec_types.source
 rockspec_types.hooks.platforms._any = rockspec_types.hooks
-local manifest_types = {
-   repository = {
-      _mandatory = true,
-      -- packages
-      _any = {
-         -- versions
-         _any = {
-            -- items
-            _any = {
-               arch = mandatory_string_1,
-               modules = { _any = string_1 },
-               commands = { _any = string_1 },
-               dependencies = { _any = string_1 },
-               -- TODO: to be extended with more metadata.
-            }
-         }
-      }
-   },
-   modules = {
-      _mandatory = true,
-      -- modules
-      _any = {
-         -- providers
-         _any = string_1
-      }
-   },
-   commands = {
-      _mandatory = true,
-      -- modules
-      _any = {
-         -- commands
-         _any = string_1
-      }
-   },
-   dependencies = {
-      -- each module
-      _any = {
-         -- each version
-         _any = {
-            -- each dependency
-            _any = {
-               name = string_1,
-               constraints = {
-                  _any = {
-                     no_upgrade = { _type = "boolean" },
-                     op = string_1,
-                     version = {
-                        string = string_1,
-                        _any = number_1,
-                     }
-                  }
-               }
-            }
-         }
-      }
-   }
-}
-local function check_version(version, typetbl, context)
-   local typetbl_version = typetbl._version or "1.0"
-   if deps.compare_versions(typetbl_version, version) then
-      if context == "" then
-         return nil, "Invalid rockspec_format version number in rockspec? Please fix rockspec accordingly."
-      else
-         return nil, context.." is not supported in rockspec format "..version.." (requires version "..typetbl_version.."), please fix the rockspec_format field accordingly."
-      end
-   end
-   return true
-end
-local type_check_table
--- Type check an object.
-- The object is compared against an archetypical value
-- matching the expected type -- the actual values don't matter,
-- only their types. Tables are type checked recursively.
-- @param version string: The version of the item.
-- @param item any: The object being checked.
-- @param typetbl any: The type-checking table for the object.
-- @param context string: A string indicating the "context" where the
-- error occurred (the full table path), for error messages.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
-- @see type_check_table
-local function type_check_item(version, item, typetbl, context)
-   assert(type(version) == "string")
-   
-   local ok, err = check_version(version, typetbl, context)
-   if not ok then
-      return nil, err
-   end
-   
-   local item_type = type(item) or "nil"
-   local expected_type = typetbl._type or "table"
-   
-   if expected_type == "number" then
-      if not tonumber(item) then
-         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a number"
-      end
-   elseif expected_type == "string" then
-      if item_type ~= "string" then
-         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a string, got "..item_type
-      end
-      if typetbl._pattern then
-         if not item:match("^"..typetbl._pattern.."$") then
-            return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": invalid value "..item.." does not match '"..typetbl._pattern.."'"
-         end
-      end
-   elseif expected_type == "table" then
-      if item_type ~= expected_type then
-         return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected a table"
-      else
-         return type_check_table(version, item, typetbl, context)
-      end
-   elseif item_type ~= expected_type then
-      return nil, "Type mismatch on field "..context..": expected "..expected_type
-   end
-   return true
-end
-local function mkfield(context, field)
-   if context == "" then
-      return field
-   end
-   return context.."."..field
-end
--- Type check the contents of a table.
-- The table's contents are compared against a reference table,
-- which contains the recognized fields, with archetypical values
-- matching the expected types -- the actual values of items in the
-- reference table don't matter, only their types (ie, for field x
-- in tbl that is correctly typed, type(tbl.x) == type(types.x)).
-- If the reference table contains a field called MORE, then
-- unknown fields in the checked table are accepted.
-- If it contains a field called ANY, then its type will be 
-- used to check any unknown fields. If a field is prefixed
-- with MUST_, it is mandatory; its absence from the table is
-- a type error.
-- Tables are type checked recursively.
-- @param version string: The version of tbl.
-- @param tbl table: The table to be type checked.
-- @param typetbl table: The type-checking table, containing
-- values for recognized fields in the checked table.
-- @param context string: A string indicating the "context" where the
-- error occurred (such as the name of the table the item is a part of),
-- to be used by error messages.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
-type_check_table = function(version, tbl, typetbl, context)
-   assert(type(version) == "string")
-   assert(type(tbl) == "table")
-   assert(type(typetbl) == "table")
-   
-   local ok, err = check_version(version, typetbl, context)
-   if not ok then
-      return nil, err
-   end
-   
-   for k, v in pairs(tbl) do
-      local t = typetbl[k] or typetbl._any
-      if t then 
-         local ok, err = type_check_item(version, v, t, mkfield(context, k))
-         if not ok then return nil, err end
-      elseif typetbl._more then
-         -- Accept unknown field
-      else
-         if not cfg.accept_unknown_fields then
-            return nil, "Unknown field "..k
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   for k, v in pairs(typetbl) do
-      if k:sub(1,1) ~= "_" and v._mandatory then
-         if not tbl[k] then
-            return nil, "Mandatory field "..mkfield(context, k).." is missing."
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   return true
-end
-local function check_undeclared_globals(globals, typetbl)
-   local undeclared = {}
-   for glob, _ in pairs(globals) do
-      if not (typetbl[glob] or typetbl["MUST_"..glob]) then
-         table.insert(undeclared, glob)
-      end
-   end
-   if #undeclared == 1 then
-      return nil, "Unknown variable: "..undeclared[1]
-   elseif #undeclared > 1 then
-      return nil, "Unknown variables: "..table.concat(undeclared, ", ")
-   end
-   return true
-end
 --- Type check a rockspec table.
 -- Verify the correctness of elements from a 
 -- rockspec table, reporting on unknown fields and type
@@ -320,22 +119,9 @@ function type_check.type_check_rockspec(rockspec, globals)
   if not rockspec.rockspec_format then
      rockspec.rockspec_format = "1.0"
   end
-   local ok, err = check_undeclared_globals(globals, rockspec_types)
+   local ok, err = type_check.check_undeclared_globals(globals, rockspec_types)
-   if not ok then return nil, err end
-   return type_check_table(rockspec.rockspec_format, rockspec, rockspec_types, "")
-end
--- Type check a manifest table.
-- Verify the correctness of elements from a 
-- manifest table, reporting on unknown fields and type
-- mismatches.
-- @return boolean or (nil, string): true if type checking
-- succeeded, or nil and an error message if it failed.
-function type_check.type_check_manifest(manifest, globals)
-   assert(type(manifest) == "table")
-   local ok, err = check_undeclared_globals(globals, manifest_types)
   if not ok then return nil, err end
-   return type_check_table("1.0", manifest, manifest_types, "")
+   return type_check.type_check_table(rockspec.rockspec_format, rockspec, rockspec_types, "")
 end
 return type_check
diff --git a/src/luarocks/unpack.lua b/src/luarocks/unpack.lua
index 4e4d9a06..22b3f49b 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/unpack.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/unpack.lua
@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@
 --- Module implementing the LuaRocks "unpack" command.
 -- Unpack the contents of a rock.
 local unpack = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.unpack"] = unpack
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local build = require("luarocks.build")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 unpack.help_summary = "Unpack the contents of a rock."
 unpack.help_arguments = "[--force] {<rock>|<name> [<version>]}"
diff --git a/src/luarocks/upload.lua b/src/luarocks/upload.lua
index 5031b1ef..4bda4303 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/upload.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/upload.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local upload = {}
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local pack = require("luarocks.pack")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local Api = require("luarocks.upload.api")
 upload.help_summary = "Upload a rockspec to the public rocks repository."
diff --git a/src/luarocks/upload/api.lua b/src/luarocks/upload/api.lua
index 6df24569..3e28bbda 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/upload/api.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/upload/api.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local api = {}
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
 local util = require("luarocks.util")
 local persist = require("luarocks.persist")
diff --git a/src/luarocks/util.lua b/src/luarocks/util.lua
index d27710c1..f41b1c38 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/util.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/util.lua
@@ -2,26 +2,13 @@
 --- Assorted utilities for managing tables, plus a scheduler for rollback functions.
 -- Does not requires modules directly (only as locals
 -- inside specific functions) to avoid interdependencies,
-- as this is used in the bootstrapping stage of luarocks.cfg.
+-- as this is used in the bootstrapping stage of luarocks.core.cfg.
 local util = {}
+setmetatable(util, { __index = require("luarocks.core.util") })
 local unpack = unpack or table.unpack
--- Run a process and read a its output.
-- Equivalent to io.popen(cmd):read("*l"), except that it 
-- closes the fd right away.
-- @param cmd string: The command to execute
-- @param spec string: "*l" by default, to read a single line.
-- May be used to read more, passing, for instance, "*a".
-- @return string: the output of the program.
-function util.popen_read(cmd, spec)
-   local fd = io.popen(cmd)
-   local out = fd:read(spec or "*l")
-   fd:close()
-   return out
-end
 local scheduled_functions = {}
 local debug = require("debug")
@@ -210,27 +197,6 @@ function util.parse_flags(...)
   return flags, unpack(out)
 end
--- Merges contents of src on top of dst's contents.
-- @param dst Destination table, which will receive src's contents.
-- @param src Table which provides new contents to dst.
-- @see platform_overrides
-function util.deep_merge(dst, src)
-   for k, v in pairs(src) do
-      if type(v) == "table" then
-         if not dst[k] then
-            dst[k] = {}
-         end
-         if type(dst[k]) == "table" then
-            util.deep_merge(dst[k], v)
-         else
-            dst[k] = v
-         end
-      else
-         dst[k] = v
-      end
-   end
-end
 --- Perform platform-specific overrides on a table.
 -- Overrides values of table with the contents of the appropriate
 -- subset of its "platforms" field. The "platforms" field should
@@ -247,7 +213,7 @@ end
 function util.platform_overrides(tbl)
   assert(type(tbl) == "table" or not tbl)
   
-   local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+   local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
   
   if not tbl then return end
   
@@ -264,19 +230,6 @@ end
 local var_format_pattern = "%$%((%a[%a%d_]+)%)"
--- Create a new shallow copy of a table: a new table with
-- the same keys and values. Keys point to the same objects as
-- the original table (ie, does not copy recursively).
-- @param tbl table: the input table
-- @return table: a new table with the same contents.
-function util.make_shallow_copy(tbl)
-   local copy = {}
-   for k,v in pairs(tbl) do
-      copy[k] = v
-   end
-   return copy
-end
 -- Check if a set of needed variables are referenced
 -- somewhere in a list of definitions, warning the user
 -- about any unused ones. Each key in needed_set should
@@ -339,17 +292,6 @@ function util.variable_substitutions(tbl, vars)
   end
 end
--- Return an array of keys of a table.
-- @param tbl table: The input table.
-- @return table: The array of keys.
-function util.keys(tbl)
-   local ks = {}
-   for k,_ in pairs(tbl) do
-      table.insert(ks, k)
-   end
-   return ks
-end
 local function default_sort(a, b)
   local ta = type(a)
   local tb = type(b)
@@ -431,12 +373,6 @@ function util.printout(...)
   io.stdout:write("\n")
 end
--- Print a line to standard error
-function util.printerr(...)
-   io.stderr:write(table.concat({...},"\t"))
-   io.stderr:write("\n")
-end
 --- Display a warning message.
 -- @param msg string: the warning message
 function util.warning(msg)
@@ -465,7 +401,7 @@ function util.this_program(default)
 end
 function util.deps_mode_help(program)
-   local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+   local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
   return [[
 --deps-mode=<mode>  How to handle dependencies. Four modes are supported:
                    * all - use all trees from the rocks_trees list
@@ -488,7 +424,7 @@ function util.see_help(command, program)
 end
 function util.announce_install(rockspec)
-   local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+   local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
   local path = require("luarocks.path")
   local suffix = ""
@@ -566,135 +502,6 @@ function util.get_default_rockspec()
   end
 end
-- from http://lua-users.org/wiki/SplitJoin
-- by PhilippeLhoste
-function util.split_string(str, delim, maxNb)
-   -- Eliminate bad cases...
-   if string.find(str, delim) == nil then
-      return { str }
-   end
-   if maxNb == nil or maxNb < 1 then
-      maxNb = 0    -- No limit
-   end
-   local result = {}
-   local pat = "(.-)" .. delim .. "()"
-   local nb = 0
-   local lastPos
-   for part, pos in string.gmatch(str, pat) do
-      nb = nb + 1
-      result[nb] = part
-      lastPos = pos
-      if nb == maxNb then break end
-   end
-   -- Handle the last field
-   if nb ~= maxNb then
-      result[nb + 1] = string.sub(str, lastPos)
-   end
-   return result
-end
--- Remove repeated entries from a path-style string.
-- Example: given ("a;b;c;a;b;d", ";"), returns "a;b;c;d".
-- @param list string: A path string (from $PATH or package.path)
-- @param sep string: The separator
-function util.remove_path_dupes(list, sep)
-   assert(type(list) == "string")
-   assert(type(sep) == "string")
-   local parts = util.split_string(list, sep)
-   local final, entries = {}, {}
-   for _, part in ipairs(parts) do
-      part = part:gsub("//", "/")
-      if not entries[part] then
-         table.insert(final, part)
-         entries[part] = true
-      end
-   end
-   return table.concat(final, sep)
-end
---
-- Formats tables with cycles recursively to any depth.
-- References to other tables are shown as values.
-- Self references are indicated.
-- The string returned is "Lua code", which can be procesed
-- (in the case in which indent is composed by spaces or "--").
-- Userdata and function keys and values are shown as strings,
-- which logically are exactly not equivalent to the original code.
-- This routine can serve for pretty formating tables with
-- proper indentations, apart from printing them:
-- io.write(table.show(t, "t"))   -- a typical use
-- Written by Julio Manuel Fernandez-Diaz,
-- Heavily based on "Saving tables with cycles", PIL2, p. 113.
-- @param t table: is the table.
-- @param name string: is the name of the table (optional)
-- @param indent string: is a first indentation (optional).
-- @return string: the pretty-printed table
-function util.show_table(t, name, indent)
-   local cart     -- a container
-   local autoref  -- for self references
-   local function isemptytable(t) return next(t) == nil end
-   
-   local function basicSerialize (o)
-      local so = tostring(o)
-      if type(o) == "function" then
-         local info = debug.getinfo(o, "S")
-         -- info.name is nil because o is not a calling level
-         if info.what == "C" then
-            return ("%q"):format(so .. ", C function")
-         else 
-            -- the information is defined through lines
-            return ("%q"):format(so .. ", defined in (" .. info.linedefined .. "-" .. info.lastlinedefined .. ")" .. info.source)
-         end
-      elseif type(o) == "number" then
-         return so
-      else
-         return ("%q"):format(so)
-      end
-   end
-   
-   local function addtocart (value, name, indent, saved, field)
-      indent = indent or ""
-      saved = saved or {}
-      field = field or name
-      
-      cart = cart .. indent .. field
-      
-      if type(value) ~= "table" then
-         cart = cart .. " = " .. basicSerialize(value) .. ";\n"
-      else
-         if saved[value] then
-            cart = cart .. " = {}; -- " .. saved[value] .. " (self reference)\n"
-            autoref = autoref ..  name .. " = " .. saved[value] .. ";\n"
-         else
-            saved[value] = name
-            --if tablecount(value) == 0 then
-            if isemptytable(value) then
-               cart = cart .. " = {};\n"
-            else
-               cart = cart .. " = {\n"
-               for k, v in pairs(value) do
-                  k = basicSerialize(k)
-                  local fname = ("%s[%s]"):format(name, k)
-                  field = ("[%s]"):format(k)
-                  -- three spaces between levels
-                  addtocart(v, fname, indent .. "   ", saved, field)
-               end
-               cart = cart .. indent .. "};\n"
-            end
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   
-   name = name or "__unnamed__"
-   if type(t) ~= "table" then
-      return name .. " = " .. basicSerialize(t)
-   end
-   cart, autoref = "", ""
-   addtocart(t, name, indent)
-   return cart .. autoref
-end
 function util.array_contains(tbl, value)
   for _, v in ipairs(tbl) do
      if v == value then
diff --git a/src/luarocks/validate.lua b/src/luarocks/validate.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index f0452bbd..00000000
--- a/src/luarocks/validate.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,158 +0,0 @@
--- Sandboxed test of build/install of all packages in a repository (unfinished and disabled).
-local validate = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.validate"] = validate
-local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
-local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
-local path = require("luarocks.path")
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
-local build = require("luarocks.build")
-local install = require("luarocks.install")
-local util = require("luarocks.util")
-validate.help_summary = "Sandboxed test of build/install of all packages in a repository."
-validate.help = [[
-<argument>, if given, is a local repository pathname.
-]]
-local function save_settings(repo)
-   local protocol, path = dir.split_url(repo)
-   table.insert(cfg.rocks_servers, 1, protocol.."://"..path)
-   return {
-      root_dir = cfg.root_dir,
-      rocks_dir = cfg.rocks_dir,
-      deploy_bin_dir = cfg.deploy_bin_dir,
-      deploy_lua_dir = cfg.deploy_lua_dir,
-      deploy_lib_dir = cfg.deploy_lib_dir,
-   }
-end
-local function restore_settings(settings)
-   cfg.root_dir = settings.root_dir
-   cfg.rocks_dir = settings.rocks_dir
-   cfg.deploy_bin_dir = settings.deploy_bin_dir
-   cfg.deploy_lua_dir = settings.deploy_lua_dir
-   cfg.deploy_lib_dir = settings.deploy_lib_dir
-   cfg.variables.ROCKS_TREE = settings.rocks_dir
-   cfg.variables.SCRIPTS_DIR = settings.deploy_bin_dir
-   table.remove(cfg.rocks_servers, 1)
-end
-local function prepare_sandbox(file)
-   local root_dir = fs.make_temp_dir(file):gsub("/+$", "")
-   cfg.root_dir = root_dir
-   cfg.rocks_dir = path.rocks_dir(root_dir)
-   cfg.deploy_bin_dir = path.deploy_bin_dir(root_dir)
-   cfg.variables.ROCKS_TREE = cfg.rocks_dir
-   cfg.variables.SCRIPTS_DIR = cfg.deploy_bin_dir
-   return root_dir
-end
-local function validate_rockspec(file)
-   local ok, err, errcode = build.build_rockspec(file, true, "one")
-   if not ok then
-      util.printerr(err)
-   end
-   return ok, err, errcode
-end
-local function validate_src_rock(file)
-   local ok, err, errcode = build.build_rock(file, false, "one")
-   if not ok then
-      util.printerr(err)
-   end
-   return ok, err, errcode
-end
-local function validate_rock(file)
-   local ok, err, errcode = install.install_binary_rock(file, "one")
-   if not ok then
-      util.printerr(err)
-   end
-   return ok, err, errcode
-end
-function validate.command(flags, repo)
-   repo = repo or cfg.rocks_dir
-   util.printout("Verifying contents of "..repo)
-   local results = {
-      ok = {}
-   }
-   local settings = save_settings(repo)
-   local sandbox
-   if flags["quick"] then
-      sandbox = prepare_sandbox("luarocks_validate")
-   end
-   if not fs.exists(repo) then
-      return nil, repo.." is not a local repository."
-   end
-   for file in fs.dir(repo) do for _=1,1 do
-      if file == "manifest" or file == "index.html" then
-         break -- continue for
-      end
-      local pathname = fs.absolute_name(dir.path(repo, file))
-      if not flags["quick"] then
-         sandbox = prepare_sandbox(file)
-      end
-      local ok, err, errcode
-      util.printout()
-      util.printout("Verifying "..pathname)
-      if file:match("%.rockspec$") then
-         ok, err, errcode = validate_rockspec(pathname, "one")
-      elseif file:match("%.src%.rock$") then
-         ok, err, errcode = validate_src_rock(pathname)
-      elseif file:match("%.rock$") then
-         ok, err, errcode = validate_rock(pathname)
-      end
-      if ok then
-         table.insert(results.ok, {file=file} )
-      else
-         if not errcode then
-            errcode = "misc"
-         end
-         if not results[errcode] then
-            results[errcode] = {}
-         end
-         table.insert(results[errcode], {file=file, err=err} )
-      end
-      util.run_scheduled_functions()
-      if not flags["quick"] then
-         fs.delete(sandbox)
-      end
-      repeat until not fs.pop_dir()
-   end end
-   if flags["quick"] then
-      fs.delete(sandbox)
-   end
-   restore_settings(settings)
-   util.title("Results:")
-   util.printout("OK: "..tostring(#results.ok))
-   for _, entry in ipairs(results.ok) do
-      util.printout(entry.file)
-   end
-   for errcode, errors in pairs(results) do
-      if errcode ~= "ok" then
-         util.printout()
-         util.printout(errcode.." errors: "..tostring(#errors))
-         for _, entry in ipairs(errors) do
-            util.printout(entry.file, entry.err)
-         end
-      end
-   end
-   util.title("Summary:")
-   local total = 0
-   for errcode, errors in pairs(results) do
-      util.printout(errcode..": "..tostring(#errors))
-      total = total + #errors
-   end
-   util.printout("Total: "..total)
-   return true
-end
-return validate
diff --git a/src/luarocks/write_rockspec.lua b/src/luarocks/write_rockspec.lua
index 68c00cce..d6075dbd 100644
--- a/src/luarocks/write_rockspec.lua
+++ b/src/luarocks/write_rockspec.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 local write_rockspec = {}
-package.loaded["luarocks.write_rockspec"] = write_rockspec
-local cfg = require("luarocks.cfg")
+local cfg = require("luarocks.core.cfg")
 local dir = require("luarocks.dir")
 local fetch = require("luarocks.fetch")
 local fs = require("luarocks.fs")
diff --git a/test/testing.sh b/test/testing.sh
index e4b5d8c2..0dd34bf1 100755
--- a/test/testing.sh
+++ b/test/testing.sh
@@ -577,7 +577,6 @@ fail_config_system_config() { rm -f "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks/config.lua";
 test_config_system_config() { mkdir -p "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks"; touch "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks/config.lua"; $luarocks config --system-config; err=$?; rm -f "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks/config.lua"; return $err; }
 fail_config_system_config_invalid() { mkdir -p "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks"; echo "if if if" > "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks/config.lua"; $luarocks config --system-config; err=$?; rm -f "$testing_lrprefix/etc/luarocks/config.lua"; return $err; }
 test_config_user_config() { $luarocks config --user-config; }
-fail_config_user_config() { LUAROCKS_CONFIG="/missing_file.lua" $luarocks config --user-config; }
 test_config_rock_trees() { $luarocks config --rock-trees; }
 test_config_help() { $luarocks help config; }