I would be grateful for any further discussion & suggestions.
Thanks, Randy.
=head1 NAME Module::Build::META-spec - Specification for F<META.yml>
=head1 SYNOPSIS --- #YAML:1.0 name: Module-Build version: 0.20 authored_by: - Ken Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> license: perl distribution_type: module requires: Config: 0 Cwd: 0 Data::Dumper: 0 ExtUtils::Install: 0 File::Basename: 0 File::Compare: 0 File::Copy: 0 File::Find: 0 File::Path: 0 File::Spec: 0 IO::File: 0 perl: 5.005_03 recommends: Archive::Tar: 1.00 ExtUtils::Install: 0.3 ExtUtils::ParseXS: 2.02 Pod::Text: 0 YAML: 0.35 build_requires: Test: 0 generated_by: Module::Build version 0.20 =head1 DESCRIPTION This document describes version 1.1 of the F<META.yml> specification. The F<META.yml> file describes important properties of contributed Perl distributions such as the ones found on CPAN. It is typically created by tools like Module::Build and ExtUtils::MakeMaker. The fields in the F<META.yml> file are meant to be helpful for people maintaining module collections (like CPAN), for people writing installation tools (like CPAN.pm or CPANPLUS), or just for people who want to know some stuff about a distribution before downloading it and starting to install it. =head1 FORMAT F<META.yml> files are written in the YAML format (see L<http://www.yaml.org/>). See the following links to learn why we chose YAML instead of, say, XML or Data::Dumper: =over 4 =item * Module::Build design plans L<http://nntp.x.perl.org/group/perl.makemaker/406> =item * Not keen on YAML L<http://nntp.x.perl.org/group/perl.module-authors/1353> =item * META Concerns L<http://nntp.x.perl.org/group/perl.module-authors/1385> =back =head1 HEADER The first line of a F<META.yml> file should be a valid YAML document header like C<"--- #YAML:1.0">. =head1 FIELDS The rest of the F<META.yml> file is one big YAML mapping whose keys are described here. =head2 name Example: name: Module-Build The name of the distribution. Often created by taking the "main module" in the distribution and changing "::" to "-". Sometimes it's completely different, however, as in the case of the libww-perl distribution (see L<http://search.cpan.org/author/GAAS/libwww-perl/>). =head2 version Example: version: 0.16 The version of the distribution to which the F<META.yml> file refers. =head2 generation Example: generation: 2 Indicates which generation this version belongs to. A generation is a way of indicating that a collection of versions are all compatible with each other, whereas a version from a different version may include incompatibilities or other major differences. This allows tools like CPAN and CPANPLUS to present to its users the greatest version in each generation to choose from when the user queries a package instead of only presenting the highest version. =head2 authored_by Example: authored_by: - Ken Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> A YAML sequence indicating the author(s) of the distribution. The prefered form is author-name <email-address>. =head2 abstract Example: abstract: Build and install Perl modules. A short description of the purpose of the distribution. =head2 license Example: license: perl The license under which this distribution may be used and redistributed. See L<Module::Build> for the list of valid options. =head2 distribution_type Example: distribution_type: module What kind of stuff is contained in this distribution. Most things on CPAN are C<module>s (which can also mean a collection of modules), but some things are C<script>s. =head2 requires Example: requires: Data::Dumper: 0 File::Find: 1.03 A YAML mapping indicating the Perl modules this distribution requires for proper operation. The keys are the module names, and the values are version specifications as described in L<Module::Build> for the "requires" parameter. I<Note: The exact nature of the fancy specifications like S<C<E<gt>= 1.2, != 1.5, E<lt> 2.0>> is subject to change. Advance notice will be given here. The simple specifications like C<1.2> will not change in format.> =head2 recommends Example: recommends: Data::Dumper: 0 File::Find: 1.03 A YAML mapping indicating the Perl modules this distribution recommends for enhanced operation. I<ALTERNATIVE: It may be desirable to present to the user which features are dependant on which modules so they can make an informed decision about which recommended modules to install.> Example: optional_features: - feature_name: description: provides the ability to blah. requires: Data::Dumper: 0 File::Find: 1.03 I<A YAML sequence of names for optional features which are made available when its requirements are met. For each feature a description is provided along with any of L<"requires">, L<"build_requires">, L<"conflicts">, L<"requires_packages">, L<"requires_os">, and L<"excludes_os"> which have the same meaning in this subcontext as described elsewhere in this document.> =head2 build_requires Example: build_requires: Data::Dumper: 0 File::Find: 1.03 A YAML mapping indicating the Perl modules required for building and/or testing of this distribution. These dependencies are not required after the module is installed. =head2 conflicts Example: conflicts: Data::Dumper: 0 File::Find: 1.03 A YAML mapping indicating the Perl modules that cannot be installed while this distribution is installed. This is a pretty uncommon situation. =head2 requires_build_tools Example: requires_build_tools: 1 A boolean that indicates external build tools (i.e. compiler, linker, etc.) are required to build this package. =head2 requires_packages Example: requires_packages: - libiconv: version: 1.9 has_library: - iconv - charset has_program: - iconv - zlib has_library: - z A YAML sequence of fields whose names are the names of non-perl distributions which are required by this distribution. Each field is a YAML mapping that more specifically describes the requirement. =head3 version Example: version: 1.9 A version specification indicating the required version(s) of the required distribution. =head3 has_library Example: has_library: - iconv - charset A sequence of names of loadable or linkable libraries provided by this distribution which must be present for the distribution to be considered present. =head3 has_program Example: has_program: - iconv A sequence of names of executable programs provided by this distribution which must be present for the distribution to be considered present. =head2 dynamic_config Example: dynamic_config: 0 A boolean flag indicating whether a F<Build.PL> or F<Makefile.PL> (or similar) must be executed, or whether this module can be built, tested and installed solely from consulting its metadata file. The main reason to set this to a true value if that your module performs some dynamic configuration (asking questions, sensing the environment, etc.) as part of its build/install process. Currently Module::Build doesn't actually do anything with this flag - it's probably going to be up to higher-level tools like CPAN to do something useful with it. It can potentially bring lots of security, packaging, and convenience improvements. =head2 configure Example: configure: auto If the distribution requires configuration, this field indicates whether the configuration process is C<interactive> and requires user intervention, C<scriptable> and requires intervention or an answer script, or C<auto> and can configure its self automatically. =head2 requires_os Example: requires_os: darwin This field contains a sequence of operating system names (ex. C<$^O> in perl) that are required for this distribution. This is an implied white list such that this distribution will not run on any operating system unless it is listed in this field. For an alternative way to manage operating system dependencies see L</"excludes_os"> below. I<Note: If this field is specified, then L</"excludes_os"> must not be specified.> =head2 excludes_os Example: excludes_os: MSWin32 This field contains a sequence of operating system names (ex. C<$^O> in perl) that are incompatible with this distribution. This is an implied black list such that this distribution will run on any operating system except those listed in this field. For an alternative way to manage operating system dependencies see L</"requires_os"> above. I<Note: If this field is specified, then L</"requires_os"> must not be specified.> =head2 private I<(Deprecated)> This field has been renamed to L</"no_index">. See below. =head2 no_index Example: no_index: file: - My/Module.pm dir: - My/Private package: - My::Module::Stuff namespace: - My::Module::Stuff A YAML mapping that describes any files, directories, packages, and namespaces that are private (i.e. implementation artifacts) that are not of interest to searching and indexing tools. =head3 file Example: file: - My/Module.pm Exclude any listed file(s). =head3 dir Example: dir: - My/Private Exclude anything below the listed directory(ies). =head3 package Example: package: - My::Module::Stuff Exclude the listed package(s). =head3 namespace Example: namespace: - My::Module::Stuff Excludes anything below the listed namespace(s), but I<not> the listed namespace(s) its self. =head2 generated_by Example: generated_by: Module::Build version 0.16 Indicates the tool that was used to create this F<META.yml> file. It's good form to include both the name of the tool and its version, but this field is essentially opaque, at least for the moment. =head1 SEE ALSO CPAN, L<http://www.cpan.org/> CPAN.pm, L<http://search.cpan.org/author/ANDK/CPAN/> CPANPLUS, L<http://search.cpan.org/author/KANE/CPANPLUS/> Data::Dumper, L<http://search.cpan.org/author/ILYAM/Data-Dumper/> ExtUtils::MakeMaker, L<http://search.cpan.org/author/MSCHWERN/ExtUtils-MakeMaker/> Module::Build, L<http://search.cpan.org/author/KWILLIAMS/Module-Build/> XML, L<http://www.w3.org/XML/> YAML, L<http://www.yaml.org/> =head1 HISTORY =over 4 =item March 14, 2003 (Pi day) =over 2 =item * Created version 1.0 of this document. =back =item May 8, 2003 =over 2 =item * Added the L</"dynamic_config"> field, which was missing from the initial version. =back =item November 13, 2003 =over 2 =item * Added more YAML rationale articles. =item * Fixed existing link to YAML discussion thread to point to new L<http://nntp.x.perl.org/group/> site. =item * Added and deprecated the L<"private"> field. =item * Added L<"abstract">, L<"configure">, L<"requires_packages">, L<"requires_os">, L<"excludes_os">, and L<"no_index"> fields. =item * Bumped version. =back =item November 16, 2003 =over 2 =item * Added L<"generation">, L<"authored_by"> fields. =item * Add alternative proposal to the L<"recommends"> field. =item * Add proposal for a L<"requires_build_tools"> field. =back =back
