=head1 NAME
-getcwd - get pathname of current working directory
+Cwd - get pathname of current working directory
=head1 SYNOPSIS
$dir = getcwd;
use Cwd;
+ $dir = fastcwd;
+
+ use Cwd;
$dir = fastgetcwd;
use Cwd 'chdir';
=head1 DESCRIPTION
+This module provides functions for determining the pathname of the
+current working directory. By default, it exports the functions
+cwd(), getcwd(), fastcwd(), and fastgetcwd() into the caller's
+namespace. Each of these functions are called without arguments and
+return the absolute path of the current working directory. It is
+recommended that cwd (or another *cwd() function) be used in I<all>
+code to ensure portability.
+
+The cwd() is the most natural and safe form for the current
+architecture. For most systems it is identical to `pwd` (but without
+the trailing line terminator).
+
The getcwd() function re-implements the getcwd(3) (or getwd(3)) functions
in Perl.
-The abs_path() function takes a single argument and returns the
-absolute pathname for that argument. It uses the same algorithm
-as getcwd(). (Actually, getcwd() is abs_path(".")) Symbolic links
-and relative-path components ("." and "..") are resolved to return
-the canonical pathname, just like realpath(3). Also callable as
-realpath().
-
The fastcwd() function looks the same as getcwd(), but runs faster.
It's also more dangerous because it might conceivably chdir() you out
of a directory that it can't chdir() you back into. If fastcwd
changed it will C<die> with the message "Unstable directory path,
current directory changed unexpectedly". That should never happen.
-The fast_abs_path() function looks the same as abs_path(), but runs faster.
-And like fastcwd() is more dangerous.
-
-The cwd() function looks the same as getcwd and fastgetcwd but is
-implemented using the most natural and safe form for the current
-architecture. For most systems it is identical to `pwd` (but without
-the trailing line terminator).
+The fastgetcwd() function is provided as a synonym for cwd().
-It is recommended that cwd (or another *cwd() function) is used in
-I<all> code to ensure portability.
+The abs_path() function takes a single argument and returns the
+absolute pathname for that argument. It uses the same algorithm as
+getcwd(). (Actually, getcwd() is abs_path(".")) Symbolic links and
+relative-path components ("." and "..") are resolved to return the
+canonical pathname, just like realpath(3). This function is also
+callable as realpath().
+
+The fast_abs_path() function looks the same as abs_path() but runs
+faster and, like fastcwd(), is more dangerous.
If you ask to override your chdir() built-in function, then your PWD
environment variable will be kept up to date. (See