Current Perl documentation can be found at perldoc.perl.org.
Here is our local, out-dated (pre-5.6) version:
Normally, a bareword doesn't need to be quoted, but in most cases probably
should be (and must be under use strict
). But a hash key consisting of a simple word (that isn't the name of a
defined subroutine) and the left-hand operand to the =>
operator both count as though they were quoted:
This is like this ------------ --------------- $foo{line} $foo{"line"} bar => stuff "bar" => stuff
The final semicolon in a block is optional, as is the final comma in a list. Good style (see the perlstyle manpage) says to put them in except for one-liners:
if ($whoops) { exit 1 } @nums = (1, 2, 3);
if ($whoops) { exit 1; } @lines = ( "There Beren came from mountains cold", "And lost he wandered under leaves", );