Releasing Perl Modules to CPAN

These steps assume that your module and tests are located in ~/sandbox/Your-Module-Name and that you are friends with the command line.

Have the programs git, and of course perl, installed on your machine.

Make a PAUSE account for uploading to CPAN. This is not instant and may take a few days.

Make a github account to house your module(s).

Make a github repository for Your-Module-Name without readme, .gitignore or license files.

Install the necessary Perl modules to build a distribution:

cpanm Dist::Zilla Dist::Zilla::MintingProfile::Starter::Git Dist::Zilla::App::Command::installdeps

Optionally, make a repository directory for your distribution:

mkdir ~/repos
cd ~/repos

Setup Dist::Zilla (optionally with your PAUSE id and password):

dzil setup

Make a new distribution for your module:

dzil new -P Starter::Git Your::Module::Name
cd Your-Module-Name

Add this as a README.md file:

# Your-Module-Name
---
The description of your module...

Add this as a new Changes file:

Revision history for Your-Module-Name

{{$NEXT}}
    - Minted by Dist::Zilla.

Open the dist.ini file in your favorite editor, and make it look something like this:

name    = Your-Module-Name
author  = Your Name <your_pause_id@cpan.org>
license = Artistic_2_0
copyright_holder = Your Name
copyright_year   = 2021

[@Starter::Git]
revision = 5
managed_versions = 1
regenerate = LICENSE

[GithubMeta]

[AutoPrereqs]

You can choose to use a different license, of course. Check out Software::License for the others.

Add your module tests:

cp -R ~/sandbox/Your-Module-Name/t .

Merge your module with the generated one (with an editor like vim or vscode):

vim -O ~/sandbox/Your-Module-Name/lib/Your/Module/Name.pm lib/Your/Module/Name.pm

Commit everything to github:

git add .
git commit -a -m 'Initial commit'
git remote add origin git@github.com:your_github_id/Your-Module-Name.git
git branch -M main
git push -u origin main

Install the dependencies for your module:

dzil installdeps

Generate a license file and add it to git:

dzil regenerate
git add LICENSE
git commit -m 'Initial commit' LICENSE
git push

Test your distribution:

dzil test

If everything is ok, and if you have recieved confirmation of your PAUSE account, then upload:

dzil release
dzil clean

You will soon get a couple email messages (hopefully) saying that your distribution has been accepted.

Check MetaCPAN for your new release.

And to know all about it, check out Dist::Zilla::Starter - Thanks Grinnz :-)