Provided by: perl-doc_5.36.0-9ubuntu1.1_all 
NAME
CPAN::Meta - the distribution metadata for a CPAN dist
VERSION
version 2.150010
SYNOPSIS
use v5.10;
use strict;
use warnings;
use CPAN::Meta;
use Module::Load;
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->load_file('META.json');
printf "testing requirements for %s version %s\n",
$meta->name,
$meta->version;
my $prereqs = $meta->effective_prereqs;
for my $phase ( qw/configure runtime build test/ ) {
say "Requirements for $phase:";
my $reqs = $prereqs->requirements_for($phase, "requires");
for my $module ( sort $reqs->required_modules ) {
my $status;
if ( eval { load $module unless $module eq 'perl'; 1 } ) {
my $version = $module eq 'perl' ? $] : $module->VERSION;
$status = $reqs->accepts_module($module, $version)
? "$version ok" : "$version not ok";
} else {
$status = "missing"
};
say " $module ($status)";
}
}
DESCRIPTION
Software distributions released to the CPAN include a META.json or, for older
distributions, META.yml, which describes the distribution, its contents, and the
requirements for building and installing the distribution. The data structure stored in
the META.json file is described in CPAN::Meta::Spec.
CPAN::Meta provides a simple class to represent this distribution metadata (or distmeta),
along with some helpful methods for interrogating that data.
The documentation below is only for the methods of the CPAN::Meta object. For information
on the meaning of individual fields, consult the spec.
METHODS
new
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->new($distmeta_struct, \%options);
Returns a valid CPAN::Meta object or dies if the supplied metadata hash reference fails to
validate. Older-format metadata will be up-converted to version 2 if they validate
against the original stated specification.
It takes an optional hashref of options. Valid options include:
• lazy_validation -- if true, new will attempt to convert the given metadata to version
2 before attempting to validate it. This means than any fixable errors will be
handled by CPAN::Meta::Converter before validation. (Note that this might result in
invalid optional data being silently dropped.) The default is false.
create
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->create($distmeta_struct, \%options);
This is same as "new()", except that "generated_by" and "meta-spec" fields will be
generated if not provided. This means the metadata structure is assumed to otherwise
follow the latest CPAN::Meta::Spec.
load_file
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->load_file($distmeta_file, \%options);
Given a pathname to a file containing metadata, this deserializes the file according to
its file suffix and constructs a new "CPAN::Meta" object, just like "new()". It will die
if the deserialized version fails to validate against its stated specification version.
It takes the same options as "new()" but "lazy_validation" defaults to true.
load_yaml_string
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->load_yaml_string($yaml, \%options);
This method returns a new CPAN::Meta object using the first document in the given YAML
string. In other respects it is identical to "load_file()".
load_json_string
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->load_json_string($json, \%options);
This method returns a new CPAN::Meta object using the structure represented by the given
JSON string. In other respects it is identical to "load_file()".
load_string
my $meta = CPAN::Meta->load_string($string, \%options);
If you don't know if a string contains YAML or JSON, this method will use
Parse::CPAN::Meta to guess. In other respects it is identical to "load_file()".
save
$meta->save($distmeta_file, \%options);
Serializes the object as JSON and writes it to the given file. The only valid option is
"version", which defaults to '2'. On Perl 5.8.1 or later, the file is saved with UTF-8
encoding.
For "version" 2 (or higher), the filename should end in '.json'. JSON::PP is the default
JSON backend. Using another JSON backend requires JSON 2.5 or later and you must set the
$ENV{PERL_JSON_BACKEND} to a supported alternate backend like JSON::XS.
For "version" less than 2, the filename should end in '.yml'. CPAN::Meta::Converter is
used to generate an older metadata structure, which is serialized to YAML.
CPAN::Meta::YAML is the default YAML backend. You may set the $ENV{PERL_YAML_BACKEND} to
a supported alternative backend, though this is not recommended due to subtle
incompatibilities between YAML parsers on CPAN.
meta_spec_version
This method returns the version part of the "meta_spec" entry in the distmeta structure.
It is equivalent to:
$meta->meta_spec->{version};
effective_prereqs
my $prereqs = $meta->effective_prereqs;
my $prereqs = $meta->effective_prereqs( \@feature_identifiers );
This method returns a CPAN::Meta::Prereqs object describing all the prereqs for the
distribution. If an arrayref of feature identifiers is given, the prereqs for the
identified features are merged together with the distribution's core prereqs before the
CPAN::Meta::Prereqs object is returned.
should_index_file
... if $meta->should_index_file( $filename );
This method returns true if the given file should be indexed. It decides this by checking
the "file" and "directory" keys in the "no_index" property of the distmeta structure. Note
that neither the version format nor "release_status" are considered.
$filename should be given in unix format.
should_index_package
... if $meta->should_index_package( $package );
This method returns true if the given package should be indexed. It decides this by
checking the "package" and "namespace" keys in the "no_index" property of the distmeta
structure. Note that neither the version format nor "release_status" are considered.
features
my @feature_objects = $meta->features;
This method returns a list of CPAN::Meta::Feature objects, one for each optional feature
described by the distribution's metadata.
feature
my $feature_object = $meta->feature( $identifier );
This method returns a CPAN::Meta::Feature object for the optional feature with the given
identifier. If no feature with that identifier exists, an exception will be raised.
as_struct
my $copy = $meta->as_struct( \%options );
This method returns a deep copy of the object's metadata as an unblessed hash reference.
It takes an optional hashref of options. If the hashref contains a "version" argument,
the copied metadata will be converted to the version of the specification and returned.
For example:
my $old_spec = $meta->as_struct( {version => "1.4"} );
as_string
my $string = $meta->as_string( \%options );
This method returns a serialized copy of the object's metadata as a character string.
(The strings are not UTF-8 encoded.) It takes an optional hashref of options. If the
hashref contains a "version" argument, the copied metadata will be converted to the
version of the specification and returned. For example:
my $string = $meta->as_string( {version => "1.4"} );
For "version" greater than or equal to 2, the string will be serialized as JSON. For
"version" less than 2, the string will be serialized as YAML. In both cases, the same
rules are followed as in the "save()" method for choosing a serialization backend.
The serialized structure will include a "x_serialization_backend" entry giving the package
and version used to serialize. Any existing key in the given $meta object will be
clobbered.
STRING DATA
The following methods return a single value, which is the value for the corresponding
entry in the distmeta structure. Values should be either undef or strings.
• abstract
• description
• dynamic_config
• generated_by
• name
• release_status
• version
LIST DATA
These methods return lists of string values, which might be represented in the distmeta
structure as arrayrefs or scalars:
• authors
• keywords
• licenses
The "authors" and "licenses" methods may also be called as "author" and "license",
respectively, to match the field name in the distmeta structure.
MAP DATA
These readers return hashrefs of arbitrary unblessed data structures, each described more
fully in the specification:
• meta_spec
• resources
• provides
• no_index
• prereqs
• optional_features
CUSTOM DATA
A list of custom keys are available from the "custom_keys" method and particular keys may
be retrieved with the "custom" method.
say $meta->custom($_) for $meta->custom_keys;
If a custom key refers to a data structure, a deep clone is returned.
BUGS
Please report any bugs or feature using the CPAN Request Tracker. Bugs can be submitted
through the web interface at <http://rt.cpan.org/Dist/Display.html?Queue=CPAN-Meta>
When submitting a bug or request, please include a test-file or a patch to an existing
test-file that illustrates the bug or desired feature.
SEE ALSO
• CPAN::Meta::Converter
• CPAN::Meta::Validator
SUPPORT
Bugs / Feature Requests
Please report any bugs or feature requests through the issue tracker at
<https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/CPAN-Meta/issues>. You will be notified
automatically of any progress on your issue.
Source Code
This is open source software. The code repository is available for public review and
contribution under the terms of the license.
<https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/CPAN-Meta>
git clone https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/CPAN-Meta.git
AUTHORS
• David Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>
• Ricardo Signes <rjbs@cpan.org>
• Adam Kennedy <adamk@cpan.org>
CONTRIBUTORS
• Ansgar Burchardt <ansgar@cpan.org>
• Avar Arnfjord Bjarmason <avar@cpan.org>
• Benjamin Noggle <agwind@users.noreply.github.com>
• Christopher J. Madsen <cjm@cpan.org>
• Chuck Adams <cja987@gmail.com>
• Cory G Watson <gphat@cpan.org>
• Damyan Ivanov <dam@cpan.org>
• David Golden <xdg@xdg.me>
• Eric Wilhelm <ewilhelm@cpan.org>
• Graham Knop <haarg@haarg.org>
• Gregor Hermann <gregoa@debian.org>
• Karen Etheridge <ether@cpan.org>
• Kenichi Ishigaki <ishigaki@cpan.org>
• Kent Fredric <kentfredric@gmail.com>
• Ken Williams <kwilliams@cpan.org>
• Lars Dieckow <daxim@cpan.org>
• Leon Timmermans <leont@cpan.org>
• majensen <maj@fortinbras.us>
• Mark Fowler <markf@cpan.org>
• Matt S Trout <mst@shadowcat.co.uk>
• Michael G. Schwern <mschwern@cpan.org>
• Mohammad S Anwar <mohammad.anwar@yahoo.com>
• mohawk2 <mohawk2@users.noreply.github.com>
• moznion <moznion@gmail.com>
• Niko Tyni <ntyni@debian.org>
• Olaf Alders <olaf@wundersolutions.com>
• Olivier Mengué <dolmen@cpan.org>
• Randy Sims <randys@thepierianspring.org>
• Tomohiro Hosaka <bokutin@bokut.in>
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2010 by David Golden, Ricardo Signes, Adam Kennedy and
Contributors.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as
the Perl 5 programming language system itself.