Intermediate Perl: Beyond The Basics of Learning Perl

by Randal L. Schwartz, Brian D Foy, Tom Phoenix

This book picks up right where Learning Perl leaves off. With Intermediate Perl, you’ll graduate from short scripts to much larger programs, using features that make Perl a general-purpose language. This gentle but thorough guide introduces you to modules, complex data structures, and object-oriented programming.

Each chapter is small enough to be read in just an hour or two, ending with exercises to help you practice what you’ve learned. If you’re familiar with the material in Learning Perl and have the ambition to go further, Intermediate Perl will teach you most of the core Perl language concepts you need for writing robust programs on any platform.

Topics

Packages and namespacesReferences and scoping, including regular expression referencesManipulating complex data structuresObject-oriented programmingWriting and using modulesTesting Perl codeContributing to CPANJust like Learning Perl, material in this book closely follows the popular introductory Perl course the authors have taught since 1991. This second edition covers recent changes to the language up to version 5.14.

Genres: Programming, Technical, Technology, Computer Science, Reference, Computers, Coding

559 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2003

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a useful book - it explains _why_ you might want to do the things that Programming Perl documents. There are only two drawbacks: firstly, the usual O'Reilly sexism, and secondly, the incredibly intrusive Gilligan's Island thing. It's a programmer's privilege to choose their own examples, but RLS has forgotten that the purpose of examples is to illuminate. This is a supposed to be a Perl manual with examples, not 'Randy's Affectionate Tribute to Gilligan's Island With The Odd Reference to Perl'.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for more advanced and OO Perl programming.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from regular expressions references are probably the biggest source of curlies, angle brackets, forward-slashes, and dollar signs in Perl programs. The view becomes clearer when you understand what these mean.

The author also understands the importance of avoiding for loops. He's absolutely correct that this is one of the things that distinguishes the better programmers. I was spending too much time each day setting up and figuring out how to apply for loops to various problems. Commands like map and grep, although hard to understand at first, reduce for loops to concise one-line expressions. At the end of the day this means going home at 5 instead of 7.

[Russell Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me a much better Perl programmer, and made Perl easier for me to use. I was in awe reading some parts of it -- I know that sounds silly, but that's how it was for me when Schwartz showed me the truth of the Perl language. I'm especially proud that excerpts from a review I wrote of this book for Unix Review magazine was printed on the back cover:

"What a spectacular Perl book it is... this book fills a vacancy for Perl programmers who are looking to improve their skills or to grow in their careers... it’s very personable and easy to follow. More importantly, it has the feel of a master instructing the apprentice."

[Alvaro Tejada Galindo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly...I didn't liked this book...surely I learned quite a few really nice things...but...there's no response for any of the examples...you simple assume that have them right...also the PeGS::PDF examples are pretty good... but there's no explanation on how to reproduce them...and even when checking GitHub the examples are too simple...

I was expecting more from this book...but after reading Beginning Perl...this was a waste of time...I would not recommend it...by any chance...

[JKikkawa]

done once. and using as reference for daily coding.
This is fit many of thing but 'reference' in Perl language.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presented good coverage of objects, modules, packages & CPAN. I'd read this all the way through to get a taste of the concepts covered. Then come back to it as a reference when needed.

[Alexander Karelas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to Object-Oriented Programming in Perl. With good examples based on a story, and perfect explanations. Recommended.

[emrecio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy read, and completely understandable