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Bridging Two Worlds: Using Inline::Perl5 in Raku

Welcome to the inaugural post of our Raku adventure blog! 🎉 Today, we’re diving straight into the deep end with Inline::Perl5, a game-changing module for Perl 5 veterans venturing into Raku. You might wonder why we’re not starting with the basics, but there’s method to this madness. Inline::Perl5 is like a universal translator between Perl 5 and Raku, allowing you to use your favorite Perl 5 modules in Raku, gradually migrate large codebases, and leverage your existing knowledge while learning Raku. It’s a powerful tool that bridges two worlds, making your transition smoother than a cat’s purr.

What is Inline::Perl5?

As someone who cut their teeth on Perl 5, I know the struggle of wanting to embrace the shiny new features of Raku while still leveraging years of Perl 5 experience and code. That’s where Inline::Perl5 comes in handy. It allows you to:

Use Perl 5 modules directly in your Raku code
Gradually migrate large Perl 5 codebases to Raku
Take advantage of CPAN’s vast module ecosystem

Installing Inline::Perl5

Before we dive in, let’s get Inline::Perl5 installed. The easiest way is to use our trusty package manager, zef:

zef install Inline::Perl5

If you’re feeling adventurous or need a specific version, you can also install it directly from its GitHub repository:

zef install https://github.com/niner/Inline-Perl5.git

Using Inline::Perl5: The Basics

Let’s start with a simple example. Say we want to use the Perl 5 module Data::Dumper in our Raku code:

use Inline::Perl5;
my $p5 = Inline::Perl5.new;
$p5.use('Data::Dumper');

my %data = (
    name => 'Whiskers',
    age => 3,
    favorite_toys => ['mouse', 'ball', 'laser pointer']
);

say $p5.call('Dumper', %data);

Let’s break this down:

We import Inline::Perl5 and create a new instance.
We use the use method to load the Perl 5 module Data::Dumper.
We create a Raku hash with some cat data.
We call the Perl 5 Dumper function on our Raku data structure.

Mixing Perl 5 and Raku Code

One of the coolest features of Inline::Perl5 is the ability to embed Perl 5 code directly in your Raku script. Here’s how:

use Inline::Perl5;
my $p5 = Inline::Perl5.new;

$p5.run(q:to/END/);
    sub greet_cat {
        my $name = shift;
        return "Meow, $name! Welcome to the world of Perl 5 cats.";
    }
END

my $name = 'Whiskers';
say $p5.call('greet_cat', $name);

In this example, we define a Perl 5 subroutine greet_cat using the run method, then call it from our Raku code. It’s like teaching your Raku cat to speak Perl 5!

Pro Tip: When working with larger Perl 5 codebases, you can even load entire Perl 5 files using the run_file method:

$p5.run_file('path/to/your/perl5/cat_scripts.pl');

Handling Perl 5 Objects in Raku

Inline::Perl5 doesn’t just stop at functions; it allows you to work with Perl 5 objects too! Let’s create a simple Perl 5 Cat class and see how we can use it in Raku:

use Inline::Perl5;
my $p5 = Inline::Perl5.new;

$p5.run(q:to/END/);
    package Cat;

    sub new {
        my ($class, $name) = @_;
        return bless { name => $name, meows => 0 }, $class;
    }

    sub name { $_[0]->{name} }

    sub meow {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->{meows}++;
        return "Meow!";
    }

    sub meow_count { $_[0]->{meows} }

    1;
END

# Create a new Cat object
my $whiskers = $p5.call('Cat::new', 'Cat', 'Whiskers');

# Call methods on the object
say qq:s"My cat is named {$p5.call('Cat::name', $whiskers)}";

# Make Whiskers meow
say qq:s"{$p5.call('Cat::name', $whiskers)} says: {$p5.call('Cat::meow', $whiskers)}";

# Check how many times Whiskers has meowed
say qq:s"Whiskers has meowed {$p5.call('Cat::meow_count', $whiskers)} time(s)";

# Make Whiskers meow again
$p5.call('Cat::meow', $whiskers);
say qq:s"Now Whiskers has meowed {$p5.call('Cat::meow_count', $whiskers)} time(s)";

This example shows how seamlessly you can work with Perl 5 objects in your Raku code.

Wrapping Up

Inline::Perl5 is like a trusty bridge between the familiar shores of Perl 5 and the exciting new lands of Raku. As you grow more comfortable with Raku, try to gradually replace Perl 5 code with native Raku solutions. It’s all part of the learning journey!

Happy coding, and may your scripts be as agile as a cat chasing a laser pointer! 🐱🦋

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