Chapter 8. Know Thy Code

Hacks 70-83

Introspection isn't just a self-help exercise. It's a way of asking Perl what it thinks about your program.

Why does that matter? There are plenty of advanced techniques that, properly applied, will save you much time, effort, and trouble. That word "properly" is the sticky one thoughunless you know what's proper and what's not, you'll have difficulty mastering advanced Perl.

Despite all the rich nooks and crannies and hidden corners of the core, there are only a few techniques you absolutely must understand. Study well the hacks here and you'll absorb higher lore and unlock secrets that will help you customize Perl, the language, for your specific needs.