CPAN::Plugin::Specfile(3pm) Perl Programmers Reference Guide CPAN::Plugin::Specfile(3pm)

# [NAME](#NAME)

CPAN::Plugin::Specfile - Proof of concept implementation of a trivial CPAN::Plugin

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
  # once in the cpan shell
  o conf plugin_list push CPAN::Plugin::Specfile
  # make permanent
  o conf commit
  # any time in the cpan shell to write a spec file
  test Acme::Meta
  # disable
  # if it is the last in plugin_list:
  o conf plugin_list pop
  # otherwise, determine the index to splice:
  o conf plugin_list
  # and then use splice, e.g. to splice position 3:
  o conf plugin_list splice 3 1
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Implemented as a post-test hook, this plugin writes a specfile after every successful test run. The content is also written to the terminal.

As a side effect, the timestamps of the written specfiles reflect the linear order of all dependencies.

**WARNING:** This code is just a small demo how to use the plugin system of the CPAN shell, not a full fledged spec file writer. Do not expect new features in this plugin.

## [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

The target directory to store the spec files in can be set using "dir" as in

```
  o conf plugin_list push CPAN::Plugin::Specfile=dir,/tmp/specfiles-000042
```

The default directory for this is the "plugins/CPAN::Plugin::Specfile" directory in the *cpan\_home* directory.

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Andreas Koenig <andk@cpan.org>, Branislav Zahradnik <barney@cpan.org>

2026-08-31 perl v5.44.0

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Document: CPAN::Plugin::Specfile(3pm) from perl 5.44.0-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/Perl/perl5.git