http://www.cpan.org/misc/jpg/cpan.jpg

The Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, http://www.cpan.org/ , is a virtual library of PerlLanguage software available for download from any of its many mirror sites around the world. (See: http://mirror.cpan.org/ ) The module collection is searchable at http://search.cpan.org/ .

CPAN provides a variety of services: a classification hierarchy for categorizing software, automated testing (and bug reporting - http://rt.cpan.org/ ), and peer review (see the new CPAN Ratings site at http://cpanratings.perl.org/ ). Best of all it provides a collaborative environment for developers who are committed to building quality software, and not reinventing the wheel (unless necessary!).

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''The CPAN is absolutely magic. I use it all the time; modules I've got from it feature in my code daily and have saved me innumerable hours. They've also contributed massively to my progress in learning PerlLanguage.''

''The joy of the CPAN is its simplicity; using the CPAN Perl module (or its successor, CPANPLUS), modules with even the most ferocious dependency lists can be installed with ease. Packaging code to release to the world via the CPAN is straightforward, and the site has a comprehensive archiving system to let you browse everything people have written.''

''I've even contributed some modules myself, and had people offer code patches and suggestions within minutes of them appearing. Oh, and if you don't like, say, the interface to a module, then you can write your own to subclass it, and give people the choice of interface. How's that for democracy? (The very essence of TimTowTdi.) I love the CPAN! -- EarleMartin''

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Named after and based on, the ComprehensiveTexArchiveNetwork [CTAN].  Of course, Perl programs can download and install modules from the CPAN easily, while TeX documents cannot.

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ArrLanguage has a ComprehensiveArrArchiveNetwork [CRAN]. 
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CategoryPerl CategoryArchiveNetwork