Why Use Perl for Programming?
Larry Wall was the developer who created Perl, a dynamic programming language way back in 1987. A variety of features, from other languages can be found in Perl, which includes languages like AWK, SED, C, Lisp, and Shell Scripting.
In terms of web technologically, a tremendous amount of attention is lavished on Java and Active X. However, Perl is the language that is actually responsible for the activation of the internet. It’s a ‘behind the scenes’ languages that is not seen, by technology analysts but is an integral component of any web based application technology. Ask any system administration, webmaster, or programmer!
Perl is the preferred language of choice for CGI programming and is also commonly used in NT as a scripting language.
So why is Perl so widely used? Why has it become so important to programmers? Well, here are a few answers.
The scripting advantage
Compared to other languages, Perl offers its users, a different kind of programming approach. It is used as a general purpose programming language as its calls and executes all kinds of operating systems, services, and utilities with relative ease.
As a scripting language Perl can is reliable and all kinds of complex application programs can be built using the language. Moreover one of the important features of this language is that programmer’s can first draw up a prototype, then a model, and then test the overall worth of the designed application with alacrity and ease. Furthermore, through Perl, the prototype can directly be evolved into the application.
The interpreted and compiled advantage
Perl like some scripting languages adopts a middle-of-the-road approach. It uses the best of the features of an interpreted language as well as the compiled language to maximize its use.
This uniqueness in its design ensures that all kinds of optimization work can be handled by Perl. It has the speed of the compiled language and it also incorporates the inherent portability of the interpreted language. Perl also includes a compiler, which seeks to get rid of the startup latency when the language is in the process of compilation. Moreover, this compiler has also added various other speed-ups that are small in size.
The information processing advantage
With the continuing development in the world of computers, we have seen a host of fundamental changes. One of the significant changes is in the fact that the word data is increasingly being replaced by information. Also, the focus has shifted from ‘data’ and is now on ‘information’
Perl has a superior power with regards to the handling of information. It has a special syntax called ‘regular expressions’ that enables it to perform powerful actions. It does this by recognizing pattern from a body that contains free form text.
This text processing power of Perl is a great way to take apart information, then streaming it, and finally reconfiguring information.
The application development advantage
As an application development language, Perl is fast gaining ground over all other languages. This is because realistic project proposals are much affordable in Perl, as its fast, and can incorporate the very best of object oriented programming. The most complex of all applications can be developed in Perl.
These are just some of the reasons why Perl has become so important for application development. When you start working on Perl, you will come across many more.
