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Writing CPAN modules

it's easy: a how-to for beginners

This is an outline of one good way to do it:

• Get a PAUSE account.

https://pause.perl.org/pause/

Request a PAUSE Account

They'll ask what you plan to do with it.

• Pick a name for the module. It's good form to ask advice.

The traditional forum: comp.lang.perl.modules

• Run module-starter (off of CPAN, of course) to generate a framework to work with

Mainly, you tell it what, where, who and with what.

• Move your code into the generated framework,

Modules go in lib (create a script to put any scripts)

• Revise your Build.PL.

• Dependencies for tests go in build_requires, all else in requires
• module-starter creates a build_requires, but you need to add a requires entry
• List all your dependencies, even the core modules.
• Don't stress on required versions: 0 is usually okay.

• To ship a script (e.g. "modular_script"), add this to Build.PL:

script_files => ['script/modular_script'],

• Write some tests if you haven't already.

• You develop in much the same way you would install a perl package (manually):

perl Build.PL

./Build

./Build test

• Before you create a cpan distribution, remember (ha!) to:

Update these files:

MANIFEST (important!)

Changes

README

And also:

Double-check your SYNOPSIS

Run a spell-checker on pod

podchecker

perlcritic

• When you're ready to create a package:

./Build dist

./Build distcheck (not required, but a good idea)

• Back to PAUSE. Log-in, and upload the file:

https://pause.perl.org/pause/authenquery

Upload a file to CPAN

• Immediately after uploading, bump up $VERSION.

• Sit back for a while, and remember to check the smoke tests for your module here:

http://static.cpantesters.org

See? Easy enough.

Next: it's hard: portability problems