=head1 VERSION
-version 5.021011
+version 5.20200523
=head1 DESCRIPTION
producing better software for free than you could hope to purchase for
money. You may snoop on pending developments via the
L<archives|http://www.nntp.perl.org/group/perl.perl5.porters/>
-or read the L<faq|http://dev.perl.org/perl5/docs/p5p-faq.html>,
or you can subscribe to the mailing list by sending
perl5-porters-subscribe@perl.org a subscription request
(an empty message with no subject is fine).
=head2 Which version of Perl should I use?
-(contributed by brian d foy)
+(contributed by brian d foy with updates from others)
There is often a matter of opinion and taste, and there isn't any one
answer that fits everyone. In general, you want to use either the current
stable release, or the stable release immediately prior to that one.
-Currently, those are perl5.18.x and perl5.16.x, respectively.
Beyond that, you have to consider several things and decide which is best
for you.
=item *
+The latest versions of perl may contain performance improvements and
+features not present in older versions. There have been many changes
+in perl since perl5 was first introduced.
+
+=item *
+
The Perl community is geared toward supporting the most recent releases,
so you'll have an easier time finding help for those.
=item *
-Versions prior to perl5.004 had serious security problems with buffer
-overflows, and in some cases have CERT advisories (for instance,
-L<http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-1997-17.html> ).
+Older versions of perl may have security vulnerabilities, some of which
+are serious (see L<perlsec> and search
+L<CVEs|https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=Perl> for more
+information).
=item *
=item *
-The immediate, previous releases (i.e. perl5.14.x ) are usually maintained
-for a while, although not at the same level as the current releases.
-
-=item *
-
-No one is actively supporting Perl 4. Ten years ago it was a dead
-camel carcass (according to this document). Now it's barely a skeleton
-as its whitewashed bones have fractured or eroded.
+The immediate, in addition to the current stable release, the previous
+stable release is maintained. See
+L<perlpolicy/"MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT"> for more information.
=item *
There are really two tracks of perl development: a maintenance version
and an experimental version. The maintenance versions are stable, and
-have an even number as the minor release (i.e. perl5.18.x, where 18 is the
+have an even number as the minor release (i.e. perl5.24.x, where 24 is the
minor release). The experimental versions may include features that
don't make it into the stable versions, and have an odd number as the
-minor release (i.e. perl5.19.x, where 19 is the minor release).
+minor release (i.e. perl5.25.x, where 25 is the minor release).
+
+=item *
+
+You can consult L<releases|http://dev.perl.org/perl5> to determine the
+current stable release of Perl.
=back
-=head2 What are Perl 4, Perl 5, or Perl 6?
+=head2 What are Perl 4, Perl 5, or Raku (Perl 6)?
-In short, Perl 4 is the parent to both Perl 5 and Perl 6. Perl 5 is the older
-sibling, and though they are different languages, someone who knows one will
-spot many similarities in the other.
+In short, Perl 4 is the parent to both Perl 5 and Raku (formerly known as
+Perl 6). Perl 5 is the older sibling, and though they are different languages,
+someone who knows one will spot many similarities in the other.
The number after Perl (i.e. the 5 after Perl 5) is the major release
of the perl interpreter as well as the version of the language. Each
1994. It can run scripts from the previous major release, Perl 4
(March 1991), but has significant differences.
-Perl 6 is a reinvention of Perl, it is a language in the same lineage but
-not compatible. The two are complementary, not mutually exclusive. Perl 6 is
-not meant to replace Perl 5, and vice versa. See L</"What is Perl 6?"> below
-to find out more.
+Raku is a reinvention of Perl, a language in the same lineage but
+not compatible. The two are complementary, not mutually exclusive. Raku is
+not meant to replace Perl, and vice versa. See L</"What is Raku (Perl 6)?">
+below to find out more.
See L<perlhist> for a history of Perl revisions.
-=head2 What is Perl 6?
+=head2 What is Raku (Perl 6)?
-Perl 6 was I<originally> described as the community's rewrite of Perl 5,
-however as the language evolved, it became clear that it is a separate
-language, but in the same language family as Perl 5.
+Raku (formerly known as Perl 6) was I<originally> described as the community's
+rewrite of Perl, however as the language evolved, it became clear that it is
+a separate language, but in the same language family as Perl.
-Perl 6 is not intended primarily as a replacement for Perl 5, but as its
-own thing - and libraries exist to allow you to call Perl 5 code from Perl
-6 programs and vice versa.
+Raku is not intended primarily as a replacement for Perl, but as its
+own thing - and libraries exist to allow you to call Perl code from Raku
+programs and vice versa.
-Contrary to popular belief, Perl 6 and Perl 5 peacefully coexist with one
-another. Perl 6 has proven to be a fascinating source of ideas for those
-using Perl 5 (the L<Moose> object system is a well-known example). There is
+Contrary to popular belief, Raku and Perl peacefully coexist with one
+another. Raku has proven to be a fascinating source of ideas for those
+using Perl (the L<Moose> object system is a well-known example). There is
overlap in the communities, and this overlap fosters the tradition of sharing
and borrowing that have been instrumental to Perl's success.
-If you want to learn more about Perl 6 read the Perl 6 developers
-page at L<http://www.perl6.org/> and get involved.
+For more about Raku see L<https://www.raku.org/>.
"We're really serious about reinventing everything that needs reinventing."
--Larry Wall
https://perl5.git.perl.org / perl5.git / blobdiff