The motto of Perl is "There's more than one way to do it"-Beginning Perl aims to take you through them all. From installation, through to the core language elements - regular expressions, references, modules, and the like - and on to basic applied techniques. The book promotes the use of Perl as a programming language, encouraging the creation of legible and sensible programs so as to dispel the image of Perl as a confusing and obscure language. In other words: Don't worry, whatever your current experience level in the world of Perl, this book has something for you.

In Effective Perl Programming, Perl experts Joseph Hall and Randal Schwartz share programming solutions, techniques, programming pointers, rules of thumb, and the pitfalls to avoid, enabling you to make the most of Perl's power and capabilities. The authors will help you develop a knack for the right ways to do things. They show you how to solve problems with Perl, and how to debug and improve your Perl programs. Offering examples, they help you learn good Perl style. Geared for programmers who have already acquired Perl basics, the book will extend your skill range, providing the tactics and deeper understanding you need to create Perl programs that are more elegant, effective, and succinct.

"MySQL and Perl for the Web" provides a much-needed handbook for database and Web developers seeking an extensive and detailed guide for using the combination of MySQL and Perl to build dynamic and interactive database-backed Web sites. It shows how to use Perl's DBI database access module, pairing it with with the CGI.pm module that allows Web pages and forms to be generated and processed easily. These tools provide developers with a solid foundation for creating applications that incorporate database content to create dynamic, up-to-date Web sites.

Object Oriented Perl provides an invaluable guide to virtually every aspect of object-oriented programming in Perl. It shows the basics of solid object design, common mistakes and many tips for navigating the powerful and flexible nuances of using Perl objects. Also covers popular object modules available from CPAN and discusses performance issues and the tradeoff between programming convenience and speed often faced by today's Perl developer. Advanced chapters cover a number of techniques for adding persistence and invoking methods using multiple dispatching. Topics covered: Perl language review, CPAN, Perl objects, 'blessing' and inheritance, polymorphism, Class::Struct and Class::Methodmaker modules, Perl ties and closures, operator overloading, encapsulation, multiple dispatch, Class::Multimethods, coarse-grained and fine-grained object persistence techniques, performance issues.

Create extensible programs and dynamic Web applications with this exceptional collection of annotated, reusable Perl code. Perl Annotated Archives is packed with ready-to-run code for Windows, Unix, Mac and Web applications along with line-by-line explanations. Use the power and flexibility of Perl to carry out hundreds of functions easily - process and report on text files, write clients and servers within a single application, dynamically create HTML, secure your Web site, manage an entire network from a single point, and much more. Complete with a CD-ROM containing all of the book's source code and applications, this one-of-a-kind collection is a programmers reference and how-to manual in a single convenient volume.

This book is designed to give you as much of the whole Perl story as one book can hold. It features: Written by Steve Holzner, former contributing editor for PC Magazine and the author of 50 computer books, Includes 250 pages of CGI programming, the driving force behind Perl’s popularity, Includes over 1,000 programming examples, Comprehensive coverage of Perl syntax and programming, and more.

Through proven sample programs, Perl By Example takes readers from their first program to highly sophisticated scripting. Updated for Web developers, the book teaches CGI scripting with Perl. Filled with practical information on Perl development, Perl by Example, Third Edition covers names and operators, regular expressions, file handles, libraries, references, reporting, and more. Other highlights include: Support for Perl on Unix, Linux, Windows, and Macintosh; CGI Web development with CGI.pm; and Database integration with Perl DBI. The user-friendly style offers one-to-one comparisons with other popular languages and utilities and a massive reference section for easy look-up. The CD-ROM includes all source code from the book, plus new Perl distributions for Windows.

Perl For Dummies, 2nd Edition, guides you step-by-step through the arcane syntax and programming environment of Perl, whether you're working on a UNIX, Windows 95/98/NT, or Macintosh. Perl For Dummies is written for both programming novices and veteran code warriors. From the basic elements of programming with Perl to advanced topics on designing and building complex Perl programs, this plain-English reference covers every version of Perl for creating custom CGI scripts for your Web site. Plus, this book's bonus CD-ROM, includes all the source code from the book, along with a copy of ActivePerl, from ActiveState.

With its broad and deep coverage of key topics in advanced Perl programming, this book is an essential read for developers who are interested in integrating Perl with various technologies and developing sophisticated applications. Building on a working knowledge of Perl, this book provides clear and detailed coverage of its topics using illustrative examples. Even experienced Perl programmers are certain to find something new in this book about this genuinely extensible language.

Both aspiring and experienced Perl programmers will benefit from the expertise in this book, whether they are looking to develop serious applications, improve their productivity, or simply learn a more powerful and portable replacement for shell scripts. Whatever the task at hand, this book is an invaluable, detailed resource of the Perl language. The latest version of the language, Perl 5.6, is used throughout, with commentary for those with earlier versions.