How Important is Perl for Businesses?

Despite being an interpreted language, Perl is hugely popular among software developers due to its flexibility and high level performance. The general purpose language was originally developed as a mere report processing tools. But within a short span of time, Perl has emerged as a scripting language that is used widely by programmers across the world to create large and complex web applications. On the whole, a business can reap several benefits by using Perl for rich internet application development regardless of its size and sector.

Major Benefits a Business can Reap by Using Perl

Available for Multiple Server Platforms: To increase the software’s compatibility, a business has to use a scripting language that is compatible with some of the widely used server platforms. At present, Perl is compatible with a wide range of server platforms including Macintosh, OS/2, Windows and most variants of UNIX. Thus, it makes it easier for businesses to make their software programs compatible across operating systems and server platforms.

Short Development Cycle: Unlike other scripting languages, Perl is an interpreted language. Thus, the developers can use Perl to develop and test applications by eliminating the compilation part of cycle. As they can avoid create, compile, debug, test and fix cycles, the development cycles are shortened. The feature further makes it easier for businesses to update their applications in future by adding advanced capabilities and innovative features.

Low Cost: A business can further use Perl to curtail development cost. The programming language is being distributed under the GNU “copyleft”. The license enables companies to access the source of Perl without paying any extra charges. The business, however, is required to pay only a small copying charge. Further, a company has option to obtain Perl either as source code or precompiled binaries for multiple platforms.

Loads of Perl Modules: While developing software with Perl, the code writers can access the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN). CPAN is a well maintained and comprehensive repository of loads of Perl Modules. Like C Modules, Perl Modules can be seamlessly integrated with Perl programs and scripts. With Perl programmers constantly releasing new code libraries, it has become easier for businesses to access the free Perl Modules to accomplish specific goals without investing in commercial tools.

Option to Skip Complex Programming: Unlike other web technologies, Perl is efficient, complete and easy to use. As the programming language is designed to be practical, the developers can accomplish several tasks and goals without writing any lengthy and complex code. Further, Perl enables programmers to accomplish a specific goal in a number of ways. So the programmers can accomplish the goals without putting any additional time and effort.

In-Built Debugging Features: Most businesses, nowadays, deploy dedicated QA engineers to make the software application flawless. The testing professionals often use a variety of tools to identify and fix all bugs, errors or flaws in the application. The testers have option to identify the bugs, errors or flaws in the software by availing the in-built debugging features of Perl. They can further use Perl to write test scripts for assessing the software application’s functionalities.

Usable for System Administration: An enterprise can also use Perl as glue to hold multiple systems together. So Perl can also be used as an efficient system administration tools to integrate and manage several systems. A software application may use multiple interfaces developed by different companies. So the interfaces may not interact with each other seamlessly. But Perl still allows business to process and manage all these interfaces without any hassle.

At present, a business also has option to choose from two distinct languages belonging to the Perl family. It can use Perl 5 to accomplish tasks like graphics programming, network programming and system administration. At the same time, the company can further use Perl 6 as a separate language for cross-language development. So each business now can choose either Perl 5 or Perl 6 according to the specific needs of the project. You can get in touch with a perl web programming companies who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

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Why is Perl being Popular among Programmers?

Despite being implemented as an interpreted language, Perl is being used by programmers for a variety of purposes. Many writers have even compared Perl to a Swiss army chainsaw due to its powerful, dynamic and easy-to-adapt nature. At present, each developer also has option to choose from Perl 5 and Perl 5. Both versions of the programming languages belong to the same family. But each version of the Perl can be used for entirely different purposes. If you are yet to migrate to Perl, it is a good idea to have a look at some of its most prominent features that make it popular among programmers.

5 Special Features that Make Perl Popular Among Developers

1) Borrows Features from Several Programming Languages

The overall structure and features of Perl resembles that of many other widely used programming languages. For instance, the overall structure of the programming language is broadly derived from C. Likewise; it also borrows features from both Shell and Lisp. Perl supports a number of built-in functions that are used in Shell programming. It also allows programmers to use features like lists, hashes and regular expressions in a manner similar to Lisp programming. The combination of these features makes Perl usable as a high level language from a wide variety of tasks.

2) Supports Complex Data Structure

Along with the object-oriented programming model, Perl also supports complex data structure and several functions. For example, the Perl programmers have option to use references, class-based method dispatch, lexically scoped variables and packages. At the same time, they can further package the code to create the reusable models. The features make it easier for developers to save both time and effort through the enhanced code reusability.

3) Does Data-Typing and Memory-Management Automatically

Often developers have to write additional code for memory-management and data-typing. But the Perl programmers can easily accomplish these tasks by availing the automatic memory-management and data-typing feature of the programming language. For instance, legal-type conversions like converting a number to string can be done automatically at the runtime. Further, the interpreter knows the storage and type requirement of each data object in the program. Thus, it can easily allocate and free memory space using the reference counting, without any manual intervention.

4) Usable for both Scripting and General Purposes

In addition to being a general purpose programming language, Perl is also used widely by developers in scripting context. As the Perl syntax is similar to Java, C++ and C#, it can be used by web developers familiar with these programming languages. Further, Perl enables programmers to accomplish certain tasks in a number of ways. So they are not required to follow any standard way or coding practice to accomplish specific tasks.

5) Comes with Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN)

The Perl programmers have option to access the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN) to avoid writing complex code. CPAN is a centralized and well-maintained repository of a variety of Perl modules. Each Perl module can also be used in a manner similar to C libraries. Thus, the developers can integrate these modules seamlessly in their programs and scripts according to their programming requirements. At the same time, the Perl Regular Expressions make the programming language more effective in manipulating and processing text. The built-in support for text processing further optimizes the performance of Perl as a dynamic scripting language.

As noted earlier, you can choose from Perl 5 and Perl 6. But you must remember that Perl 6 is designed as a completely new language specification without backward compatibility. That is why; you also need to understand the key differences between the two distinct versions of Perl. You can get in touch with a perl web application development companies who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

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Future of Perl programming

Perl, the programming language, is feature-rich as well as highly capable. It can be said to be a much used language for web applications, which has been used for quite some time now. It can run over a large number of platforms, whether mainframes or portables. It may be used for both large scale development projects as well as rapid prototyping. Ever since its inception, it has been adopted quickly and has become a well-loved language. There are a number of features as well as advantages that can be said to have contributed to this popularity.

Easily extendible- More than 25,000 open sources modules are available from CPAN or Comprehensive Perl Archive Network. This well maintained central repository contains virtually innumerable Perl Modules which may be used for including in Perl scripts or programs. These code libraries have been created for almost all programming requirements, preventing us from reinventing things.

Functional, procedural as well as object-oriented- Functional, object-oriented as well as procedural programming is supported by it.

Mission critical - Perl web programming performs with precision, making it apt for using in mission critical projects, both in private as well as public sectors.

Textmanipulation- Powerful tools are included for the processing of text, which make it perfect for functioning with XML, HTML, PDF as well as other document formats or natural and mark-up languages.

Database integration- Third party databases are supported by the DBI or database integration interface of Perl. The databases supported include MySQL, Postgres, Oracle, Sybase as well as many others.

Open Source- The Open Source software is distributed under GNU General Public License or Artistic License; due to this, it is easy to adopt. If some problem arises then it becomes easy to find solutions since its open source nature makes it easy to get in touch with experienced professionals for help from forums, etc.

Embeddable- Other systems like database servers as well as web servers may reap the benefits of being embedded with Perl interpreter.

C++/C library interface- Perl can interface with external C++/C libraries through SWIG or XS.

Ideal programming language for web- Perl can be said to be an ideal programming language for web because of its rapid development cycle as well as text manipulation capabilities.

Web modules- Thousands of web modules are offered by CPAN so that almost all tasks that are needed for you to be accomplished will become easier. It can make things like image or URL manipulation, Amazon EC2 APIs, etc., much smoother.

Web frameworks- Various web frameworks can be written in the language, amongst which the leader is Catalyst.

Encryption capable- Encrypted web data can be handled by the language and that includes e-commerce transactions.

Apache embedded- Web servers may be embedded with the language which may help in the speeding up of the processing by 2000% even. Apache web server can embed Perl interpreter by virtue of mod perl.

Duct taping internet- It is majorly known as the internet’s duct tape. But there are many huge web based application which can be written just in this language.

Easy to adopt- The syntax has a lot of similarities with C#, C++/C or Java which makes it very easy for programmers to move from those languages to Perl. Another advantage is that different ways can be used for the functioning of same thing, which sets it apart from other languages.

Currently, the language is facing a decline due to the emergence of many improved languages which has led many people to dub this language as obsolete. But despite their arguments, the possibilities of Perl are by no means, completely over. It has a future but the language may be meant for limited audience. Today, it is best suited for those people who have worked with it from its very inception and are used to its quirky stylistic conventions. New users may not be successfully attracted to it but old users may still be able to reap benefits from the features.

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