Editing Portal:Linux (section)

=== Gentoo ===

Gentoo provides Perl as `dev-lang/perl`. The Gentoo package site lists current Perl versions including Perl 5.42.2 and newer release-candidate work.<ref>Gentoo Packages, “dev-lang/perl,” https://packages.gentoo.org/packages/dev-lang/perl, accessed July 3, 2026.</ref>

Gentoo has a dedicated Perl Project. Gentoo’s Perl Project package listing includes hundreds of Perl-related packages and tools such as `gentoo-perl-helpers`, `perl-cleaner`, and `g-cpan`.<ref>Gentoo Packages, “Perl Project,” https://packages.gentoo.org/maintainer/perl%40gentoo.org, accessed July 3, 2026.</ref>

Gentoo is historically interesting because it builds software from source through Portage. Perl is not merely installed as a binary package; it is compiled and integrated through ebuilds. Perl modules live in categories such as `dev-perl/*`, and Gentoo has special tools to manage version transitions.

The most important Gentoo-specific Perl tool is `perl-cleaner`. When Perl is upgraded, compiled Perl modules may need to be rebuilt against the new interpreter. Gentoo’s `perl-cleaner` helps identify and rebuild old Perl-module installations. This makes Gentoo one of the clearest examples of Perl as a deeply package-managed language rather than just a scripting binary.

For users, the practical rule is simple: use Portage-managed Perl modules when possible, and be cautious about installing CPAN modules outside Portage on a system Perl.