Perl is one of the best supported programming language available. The language is supported by users and developers. The most advanced users to the most novice can find extenssive help online and in print. Every Perl user develops a list of sources which they utilize for software extensions, documentation, and problem solving.
Perl itself can be downloaded for no charge. But before you download it, check to see if Perl is already pre-installed on your system. If you are running Unix, Linux, BSD, etc., it is almost surely pre-installed on your computer. Run the command :
bash$which Perl
on the command line. You should get a return as follows:
/usr/bin/perl
bash$
This is the Perl interpreter. Remember this location for your Perl interpreter. You are going to be using it extensively. If you are on Windows or Mac, use their find utilities to see if Perl is on the hard drive. Most of this website is going to be using Unix or Linux notation. Note that if you are using Windows, or Mac, things are done a little differently. The language itself, though, is completely the same with the exception of function calls which are specific to Unix like systems.
If your system is BSD-OS, be aware that perl4 AND perl5 are likely to be installed. All users should look to see what version of Perl they have on their system. Run the following:
bash$ Perl -v
This returns:
This is Perl, version 5.005_03 built for i386-linux
Copyright 1987-1999, Larry Wall
Perl may be copied only under the terms of either the Artistic License
or the
GNU General Public License, which may be found in the Perl 5.0 source kit.
Complete documentation for Perl, including FAQ lists, should be found on
this system using `man Perl' or `perldoc Perl'. If you have access to the
Internet, point your browser at http://www.perl.com/, the Perl Home Page.
bash$
If the first line claims to be a version 4.some_numbers, see if you have Perl 5 on your box by calling :
which perl5
Use that output instead of /usr/bin/perl when calling to Perl in your programs. This will all be made clear soon, so don't concern yourself yet with the details. Just remember where Perl is on your hard drive, and which version you have. I strongly recommend you acquire perl5.
Perl5 can be downloaded as source code from a website called CSPAN at http://www.perl.com/CPAN/src/index.htm . That same site has binary versions for many platforms. If one is using windows, look under the binary files for Win32 from Activstate. Personally, I would just download ZIPSLACK Linux from slackware. This will let you run Unix over you Windows/DOS operating system from your windows partition without any fuss. It was designed to run on a zip drive, but works on a hard drive as well. Zipslack has Perl pre-installed on it. One can install Unix and Perl (and a bunch of other good stuff, in about 10 minutes by this method on nearly any windows box.
Other Software Internet Resources include:
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A list of freely available Perl Programming extension to make programming easier. | |
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Free CGI Applications |
Some free applications in Perl to review and use |
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Free Perl Jornal Sources Code examples |
Useful Examples from the Perl Journal |
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Many free CGI/Perl Scripts for Web Programming | |
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Another Old Time CGI-Perl Download page for Shareware | |
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An inexpensive Relational Database used with Perl extensively | |
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The Powerful Photoshop-like program with Perl extensions to make filters and images | |
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Perl Extensions for make window driven programs and interfaces in X windows | |
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Probably the easiest and most stable from of Linux for the PC. Not as cutting edge as other distributions. | |
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Probably the most important Open Source download location on the web |
Perl Support is extensive. The first place to look for information when learning and programming with Perl is in the Perl documentation that comes with Perl. Start with:
bash$ man Perl
Up will come an extensive rundown of current Perl Documentation each section called with the command man perlwhatever. In here is the foundation for much of the Perl documentation including a number of tutorials like perltoot. This is usually the first place to look for Perl information. There also exists many usenet forums that are available through your Internet service provider. The most important of these are
comp.lang.perl.misc
comp.lang.perl.modules
comp.lang.perl.tk
pl.comp.lang.perl
comp.infosystems.www.servers.unix
If your having trouble with your Internet Server Provider to get newsi, then see www.deja.com for web based news access. Also see these web based resources for Perl documentation:
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How to program the Gimp using Perl | |
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Basic Perl Information to get you started and beyond | |
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mod_perl Perl and Apache Guild |
starting point for advanced Perl Web applications |
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MYSQL/DBI Information and Tutorial |
Master the Basics of Database Interfaces |
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Reuven Lerner - At the Forge |
Some of the best written tutorials in print on Perl and the Web Applications |
| Basic VI Editor Tutorial - Must see |
Also on line is the ICQ channels at elfnet and irc.linux.com. The second can be a friendlier place than the first.
Only the Bible has more volumes in print than Perl as a topic (just kidding I think...).
The foundation book - or the Perl Bible in Programming Perl by Larry Wall, Tom Christiansen and Randal L Schwartz ,Advanced Perl Programming by Sriram Srinivasan, and a few more specialized Perl books from O'reilly Associates.
Core Perl will be published by Prentice-Hall by Reuven Lerner, a particularly good writer on Perl
Perl has it's own professional Journal which has a lot of good information and is very timely. It is called The Perl Journal and has it's own website.
Lots of good Perl stuff is in The Linux Journal including the "At the Forge" column.
The Perl Mongers is an association of dedicated Perl users nation wide with a mailing list and addition information and support.
Formal education in Perl is available in many places. I fine one is the Continuing Education Program at The New School.