What are common pitfalls or gotchas with exporting symbols (Exporter)?

Exporting symbols in Perl using the Exporter module can lead to some common pitfalls or gotchas that developers should be aware of. Here are a few key points to consider:

  • Namespace Pollution: When exporting symbols, be cautious about namespace pollution. Multiple modules exporting the same symbol might lead to unexpected behavior.
  • Overriding Existing Functions: If a function is defined in your module and is also imported from another module, your function could be overridden, leading to difficult-to-trace bugs.
  • Selective Imports: Always be explicit about which symbols you want to export. Using ':all' can lead to unintended consequences as it exports everything.
  • Version Control: As your module evolves, be cautious about maintaining backward compatibility of exported symbols. Changes in functionality could break existing code.

Perl Exporter Symbols Namespace Pollution Importing Functions