CPAN is the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, a code and documentation archive of over 100,000 open-source Perl modules across more than 25,000 distributions written by more than 10,000 authors. This tag is not for general Perl questions; use [tag:perl] instead.

The Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN) is an open-source code and documentation archive of over 100,000 Perl modules across more than 25,000 distributions written by more than 10,000 authors.

CPAN has been online since October 1995 and is constantly growing. CPAN's main purpose is to provide a distributed repository for Perl programmers to locate, install, and share open source modules and code snippets.

Installable files on the CPAN are known as distributions. A distribution consists of one or more modules, documentation files (generally in perldoc), or scripts. Distributions are typically packaged with an install script called Makefile.PL or Build.PL.

When to use this tag?

This tag is not for general Perl questions; use perl instead. This tag should be used for questions relating to cpan.org or modules for interacting with cpan.org and mirrors (like CPAN.pm)...

Documentation

CPAN Installation tools for end users

  • CPAN - the classic CPAN command line install shell
  • CPANPLUS - an updated API and command line interface to CPAN intended to be more scriptable
  • cpanminus - a faster and more concise CPAN installer
  • CPAN::Mini - create a minimal mirror of CPAN

Modules used for creating install/distribution scripts

  • ExtUtils::MakeMaker - the venerable module used to generate a make file via Makefile.PL.
  • Module::Install - a drop-in replacement for ExtUtils::MakeMaker that provides more intuitive features and customization for module authors
  • Module::Build - a mostly pure Perl alternative to ExtUtils::MakeMaker, which does not rely on a system make command.
  • Dist::Zilla - distribution builder
  • pip - Perl Installation Program

Related Links