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Is Perl programming still relevent?

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  • 27-10-2013 1:03pm
    #1
    _Redzer_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,056 ✭✭✭


    Would learning how to program through Perl be a waste of time in areas like bioinformatics, and are there more up-to-date and relevant languages that could be more of use?


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    #2
    srsly78
    Registered Users Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    The few times I encountered perl recently was when I was upgrading various systems. In many cases the perl script just wasn't needed anymore. One example was a perl script to check out a clean workspace from perforce. When using a modern CI system like Jenkins or whatever the perl script just wasn't needed.


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    #3
    lemon_remon
    Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭lemon_remon


    Probably, Perl is mostly legacy code nowadays. A more modern equivalent would Python.


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    #4
    Talisman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,001 ✭✭✭Talisman


    If you are doing Bioinformatics then Python and Perl are both used widely.


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    #5
    Rhavin
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭Rhavin


    Currently working with a bioinformatics team and they all code mostly in perl.


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    #6
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,664 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    It has been a while since I used it, but reading a book on Wikileaks and was noted that the Guardian IT team used Perl to parse the leaked cables into some form of readable standard.


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    #7
    COYW
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭COYW


    Years since I have done any Perl. Last time I used it was for web analysis, site scraping and the like.


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    #8
    Jonny Blaze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 753 ✭✭✭Jonny Blaze


    It's mainly used in bioinformatics because of robust reg exp capabilities as far as I was led to believe.

    My guess would be that python is just as good and probably more widely used today.

    Still a cool/ weird language though.


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    #9
    azzeretti
    Registered Users Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭azzeretti


    I use it, almost exclusively. It's is still widely used, many Linux system admin tools are built on it and there are still a good amount of heavy duty open source projects being maintained and created. Still plenty of jobs too.

    Sadly, it's in decline though. Perl 6 well change all that ......just don't hold your breath.


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    #10
    Skrynesaver
    Registered Users Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭Skrynesaver


    azzeretti wrote: »
    I use it, almost exclusively. It's is still widely used, many Linux system admin tools are built on it and there are still a good amount of heavy duty open source projects being maintained and created. Still plenty of jobs too.

    Sadly, it's in decline though. Perl 6 well change all that ......just don't hold your breath.

    It used to be said that Perl is the Gaffa tape of the Internet, I've worked primarily on Java deployments for the last decade and it remains true, Perl is the best (Python's implementation of the Perl Compatible Regex Engine included) tool for complex text mangling yet created, CPAN is a phenomenal resource and I have written quick and dirty proof of concept servers in Perl over a weekend that take months to implement "properly" in a more constrained language so it remains a great tool for R'n'D work (check out Dancer if you want to hack up a service demo).

    I'm not sure about Perl 6 I've played with the Parrot implementation and while the idea is nice I'm more inclined towards sticking to Perl 5 but using the Modern Perl approach.


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    #11
    azzeretti
    Registered Users Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭azzeretti


    Skrynesaver wrote: »
    (check out Dancer if you want to hack up a service demo).
    .

    Funny you should mention Dancer, I've just spent the week deciding on that or Mojolicious for a project I've undertaken only to come down on the Dancer side. It's very impressive and shows how Perl it's still able to stand up against the new kids.
    I was jesting about Perl 6. That's been a disaster.


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