Perl and modules

You can now manage, as with other langages, your own repository for perl modules, using cpanminus.

Note

cpanminus and perlbrew are already installed on the base system.

Using CPANminus

If you want to use the base system Perl (perl -V), you only have to use cpanminus. Configure it (to use ~/perl5.32/) by running this command:

$ cpanm --local-lib=~/perl5.32 local::lib && eval $(perl -I ~/perl5.32/lib/perl5/ -Mlocal::lib)

If you have errors like /usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error and/or undefined symbol, you may have a version mismatch (existing or old installation in your $HOME). Change the destination directory (~/perl5.32), or erase the existing one.

You have to add, at the end of your ~/.bashrc, these lines:

# PSMN11 / local cpanminus / force user's CPAN path
export PERL_MB_OPT="--install_base \"${HOME}/perl5.32\""
export PERL_MM_OPT="INSTALL_BASE=${HOME}/perl5.32"
export PERL5OPT="-I${HOME}/perl5.32/lib/perl5 -I${HOME}/perl5.32/lib/perl5/site_perl"
if [[ -d "${HOME}/perl5.32/lib/perl5" ]]; then
    export PERL5LIB="${HOME}/perl5.32/lib/perl5:${PERL5LIB}"
fi

Then reload that file (source ~/.bashrc) or disconnect/reconnect for it to modify your environment.

Install Perl modules

Every needed module can now be installed like this (ex: YAML::Tiny):

$ cpanm YAML::Tiny

Your installed modules are located in ${HOME}/perl5.32/lib/perl5. See man cpanm for more.

Install your own Perl

For more advanced users: You can build your own Perl. The simplest way is by using perlbrew.

Initialize perlbrew

$ perlbrew init

perlbrew root (~/perl5/perlbrew) is initialized.

Then, as asked, add source ~/perl5/perlbrew/etc/bashrc at the end of your ~/.profile, then source your ~/.profile (or disconnect-reconnect) for it to be loaded properly.

Note

You can change the default installation directory ($HOME/perl5/perlbrew) to a group storage (see Where to store files?), if needed. See $PERLBREW_ROOT in perlbrew man page.

Test it :

$ perlbrew version
/usr/bin/perlbrew  - App::perlbrew/0.91

Warning

If you self-install or upgrade perlbrew, there will be two versions : your own, and the one already installed on the system (which remain active).

Install a version of Perl

$ perlbrew available
# perl
perl-5.35.8
perl-5.34.0
perl-5.32.1
perl-5.30.3
perl-5.28.3
[...]

Installation might take a while :

$ perlbrew install perl-5.35.8

[a certain amount of successfull logs]

Install a local CPANminus

First, select your own Perl installation:

$ perlbrew use 5.35.8

Install the cpanminus module with:

$ curl -L https://cpanmin.us | perl - App::cpanminus

Verify with these two commands:

$ perlbrew list-modules
App::cpanminus

$ which cpanm
/home/mylogin/perl5/perlbrew/perls/perl-5.35.8/bin/cpanm

Warning

You have now two versions of cpanminus, the one from your perlbrew installation, and the one from the system (which remain active).

Add modules to your CPANm

Same as above, using the cpanminus from your perlbrew installation (ex: Log::Logger):

$ cpanm Log::Logger

Verify with:

$ perlbrew list-modules
App::cpanminus
Log::Logger

Warning

Do not install too many Perl versions (for space reasons), and use perlbrew clean on a regular basis.

See this tutorial for more.