In programming Perl is an interpreted, dynamic programming language of a general purpose, high level. Perl has been originally developed Larry Wall, the linguist who worked as the manager of systems in NASA in 1987. Idea consisted in creation for Unix scripting language which would simplify processing of messages. Since then, it has undergone to many changes and revisions and became widely popular among programmers. Larry Wall continues to observe of development of the basic language and him the new version - Perl 6.

Perl borrows features from other programming languages, switching on C, a bowl scripting (sh), AWK, sed and Lisping. Language provides the strong text processing services without any limits of length of given many modern tools Unix, created as ideal language to operate text files. It also is used for graphic programming, administration of system, programming of a network, statements which demand access of a database and CGI, programming on the Network. Perl have allocated with a nickname «the Swiss Army knife of programming languages» because of its flexibility and ability to adaptation.



Perl has originally been named by "Pearls" in honour of the Parable of Pearls from Gospel Matveev. Larry Wall wished to give to language the short name with positive connotations; he asserts, that considered (and has rejected) each three words with obscene sense in the dictionary.

The name is usually capitalised (Perl) in circulation to language and not capitalized (perl) at the reference to the program of the translator directly, as similar Unix system files match case. Before release of the first version of programming Perl has been extended to address to language as perl. Randal L. Schwartz, however, used the name of language for the benefit in the book to force it to be allocated more brightly when there was a set.

The name officially does not designate anything, so its spelling in all capital letters is wrong. Appropriate capitalisation consider shibboleth in community Perl. Some other expansions have been offered, including own comic variant. Really, Wall asserts, that the name has been intended to inspire many various expansions.