When should you prefer filehandles (lexical), and when should you avoid it?

In Perl, filehandles are an essential aspect of file I/O operations. However, choosing between lexical filehandles and traditional filehandles can significantly affect your code's readability and maintainability.

When to Prefer Lexical Filehandles

• Scope Management: Lexical filehandles are scoped to the block in which they are declared, reducing the risk of unintended side effects in larger programs.
• Namespace Clarity: Lexical filehandles avoid namespace pollution, allowing for clearer code, especially in modules or large scripts.
• Readability: They can enhance code readability, as their declaration and usage are often more straightforward.

When to Avoid Lexical Filehandles

• Legacy Code Compatibility: If you are working with older Perl code that uses traditional filehandles extensively, switching to lexical filehandles may require substantial refactoring.
• Dynamic Filehandle Names: If you need to generate filehandle names dynamically at runtime, traditional filehandles might be more adaptable.
• Specific Situations: Certain low-level operations and interaction with external programs may necessitate traditional filehandles.