1 package ExtUtils::MakeMaker::Tutorial;
9 ExtUtils::MakeMaker::Tutorial - Writing a module with MakeMaker
13 use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;
16 NAME => 'Your::Module',
17 VERSION_FROM => 'lib/Your/Module.pm'
22 This is a short tutorial on writing a simple module with MakeMaker.
23 Its really not that hard.
28 MakeMaker modules are installed using this simple mantra
35 There are lots more commands and options, but the above will do it.
40 The basic files in a module look something like this.
46 That's all that's strictly necessary. There's additional files you might
49 lib/Your/Other/Module.pm
62 When you run Makefile.PL, it makes a Makefile. That's the whole point of
63 MakeMaker. The Makefile.PL is a simple module which loads
64 ExtUtils::MakeMaker and runs the WriteMakefile() function with a few
67 Here's an example of what you need for a simple module:
69 use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;
72 NAME => 'Your::Module',
73 VERSION_FROM => 'lib/Your/Module.pm'
76 NAME is the top-level namespace of your module. VERSION_FROM is the file
77 which contains the $VERSION variable for the entire distribution. Typically
78 this is the same as your top-level module.
83 A simple listing of all the files in your distribution.
89 Filepaths in a MANIFEST always use Unix conventions (ie. /) even if you're
92 You can write this by hand or generate it with 'make manifest'.
97 This is the directory where your .pm and .pod files you wish to have
98 installed go. They are layed out according to namespace. So Foo::Bar
104 Tests for your modules go here. Each test filename ends with a .t.
105 So t/foo.t. 'make test' will run these tests. The directory is flat,
106 you cannot, for example, have t/foo/bar.t run by 'make test'.
108 Tests are run from the top level of your distribution. So inside a test
109 you would refer to ./lib to enter the lib directory, for example.
114 A log of changes you've made to this module. The layout is free-form.
117 1.01 Fri Apr 11 00:21:25 PDT 2003
118 - thing() does some stuff now
119 - fixed the wiggy bug in withit()
121 1.00 Mon Apr 7 00:57:15 PDT 2003
122 - "Rain of Frogs" now supported
127 A short description of your module, what it does, why someone would use it
128 and its limitations. CPAN automatically pulls your README file out of
129 the archive and makes it available to CPAN users, it is the first thing
130 they will read to decide if your module is right for them.
135 Instructions on how to install your module along with any dependencies.
136 Suggested information to include here:
138 any extra modules required for use
139 the minimum version of Perl required
140 if only works on certain operating systems
145 A file full of regular expressions to exclude when using 'make
146 manifest' to generate the MANIFEST. These regular expressions
147 are checked against each filepath found in the distribution (so
148 you're matching against "t/foo.t" not "foo.t").
152 ~$ # ignore emacs and vim backup files
153 .bak$ # ignore manual backups
154 \# # ignore CVS old revision files and emacs temp files
156 Since # can be used for comments, # must be escaped.
158 MakeMaker comes with a default MANIFEST.SKIP to avoid things like
159 version control directories and backup files. Specifying your own
160 will override this default.
170 L<perlmodstyle> gives stylistic help writing a module.
172 L<perlnewmod> gives more information about how to write a module.
174 There are modules to help you through the process of writing a module:
175 L<ExtUtils::ModuleMaker>, L<Module::Setup>, L<CPAN::MakeMaker>