Perl is an efficient programming language that is regularly used for generating CGI scripts and different web-based apps. One of its main advantages is the fact that it supports modules - ready-made batches of code that are used to execute numerous tasks and to increase the effectiveness of a certain script without clogging it with unneeded lines of program code. This means that, when five tasks have to be performed, you are able to use five lines of program code in order to call each of the modules rather than adding a large number of lines used to create the actual modules inside your script. Perl is very useful and it may be used for a number of purposes, that's why many corporations have integrated it in their web products or on their resource-demanding sites - cPanel, IMDB, Craigslist, BugZilla, BBC and a lot more. It's commonly used in addition to other programming languages like PHP or Python.
Perl Scripting in Shared Hosting
Perl is available with all of the Linux shared hosting that we supply and you're able to execute any .pl file which you upload in your account thanks to the File Manager of the Control Panel or an FTP software. The latter will allow you to build a website with all the characteristics that you'd like your visitors to have, but PHP does not offer. You'll be able to execute a script either manually or automatically with a cron job. Our packages include lots of Perl modules that you'll be able to use and you will see the full list in your web hosting account in addition to the path that you need to include in your scripts, in order to be able to access these modules. In case you'd like to execute a Perl/CGI script using a cron job however your package doesn't offer this option, you're able to include as many cron jobs as you need through the Add Upgrades/Services link on the left-hand side of the web hosting Control Panel.
Perl Scripting in Semi-dedicated Servers
In case you want to include CGI scripts on your sites or some other Perl-based application for that matter, you won't encounter any problems in case you use a semi-dedicated server account from our company. Thousands of Perl modules are installed on our servers and you can call any of them by adding the path which you will find in your Control Panel into the script that you use. When you download some app from a third-party site, for instance, you can rest assured that you'll be able to work with it whatever the modules it requires to work. Given that your .pl files have the right UNIX permissions to ensure they are executable, you're able to decide whether a certain script will be run manually by a visitor doing something on your website, or automatically by creating a cron job in your account. When you use the latter option, your script can be run every day, hour or minute according to your preference.