diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c372372..49eb116 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ result-*
 
 dist/
 dist-newstyle/
+cabal.project.local
+
diff --git a/build b/build
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b8f345f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env nix-shell
+#!nix-shell -i bash
+
+# Build the Haskell package via cabal, outside Nix
+
+cabal new-build --write-ghc-environment-files=never
diff --git a/cabal.project b/cabal.project
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5356e76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cabal.project
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+packages: .
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/repl b/repl
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ee3c1ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repl
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env nix-shell
+#!nix-shell -i bash
+
+# A Haskell REPL for hacking on the Haskell code
+
+cabal new-repl --write-ghc-environment-files=never
diff --git a/run-arion b/run-arion
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f5f2c18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run-arion
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env nix-shell
+#!nix-shell -i bash
+#!nix-shell ./shell.nix
+
+# For quick manual testing of a hacked arion
+
+# NB: Only works inside the project directory
+
+cabal \
+  new-run \
+  --write-ghc-environment-files=never \
+  :pkg:arion-compose:exe:arion \
+  -- \
+  "$@" \
+  ;
diff --git a/run-arion-via-nix b/run-arion-via-nix
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b04cdb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run-arion-via-nix
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# For manual testing of a hacked arion built via Nix.
+# Works when called from outside the project directory.
+
+exec nix run -f "$(dirname ${BASH_SOURCE[0]})" arion -c arion "$@"