WHAT? Version::Dotted and its subclasses are *authoring time* extensions to core version class: they complement version with bump operation and implement alternative trial version criteria. WHY? version is an official Perl module for declare and compare versions, it is recommended by Task::Kensho and used by Perl itself (package Assa v1.2.3; automatically assigns $VERSION variable an object of version class). Unfortunately, the module does not provide any method to bump a version. Perl::Version is another module recommended by Task::Kensho. This module provides method(s) to bump a version, e. g.: my $v = Perl::Version->new( 'v1.2.3' ); $v->inc_alpha; "$v"; # eq 'v1.2.3_01' I used such code with no problem… until version 0.9913. version 0.9913 changed interpretation of underscore character: before 'v1.2.3_01' was interpreted as 'v1.2.3.1' (+ trial flag, of course), starting from 0.9913 it is interpreted as 'v1.2.301' (+ trial flag). I believe there were good reasons for this change (e. g. current version behavior matches Perl behavior and so reduces the mess), but this change breaks Perl::Version as well as my code because version->parse( 'v1.2.3_01' ) < 'v1.2.4' was true before, is false now. Thus, Perl::Version is broken and it is not clear when and *how* it will be fixed. But 1 I want a method to bump a version, and want it now. 2 I want a method to represent trial versions, and want it is compatible with version either pre-0.9913 or post-0.9912 (i. e. >= 0.77). 3 I want these methods to work with dotted versions, decimal versions are out of my interest. (BTW: Requirement #2 effectively means that new method should not rely on underscores.) Version::Dotted fulfills these requirements. NAMING perl-Version-Dotted is official software name. However, in Perl world prefix "perl-" is redundant and not used. For example, on meta::cpan this software is named as Version-Dotted. In the rest of the documentation shortened name Version-Dotted is used as synonym for full name perl-Version-Dotted. We are in the Perl world, aren't we? You may notice that name may be spelled with dashes (Version-Dotted) or with double colons (Version::Dotted). Strictly speaking, there is difference: the first one is software name, while the second is name of Perl package, but often these names are interchangeable especially if software consists of single package. FORMS You may face Version-Dotted in *source* or *distribution* forms. If you are going to bump a dotted version, check if version is trial, you will likely be interested in *using* Version-Dotted *distribution*. If you are going to *develop* (or *hack*) the Version-Dotted itself, you will likely need the *source*, not distribution. Since Perl is an interpreting language, modules in the distribution *look* like sources. Actually, they are Perl source files. But they are not *actual* sources, because they are *built* (preprocessed or generated) by Dist-Zilla. How to distinguish source and distribution: * Source may contain Mercurial files and directories .hgignore, .hgtags, .hg/, while distribution should not. * Source should contain dist.ini file, while distribution may not. * Source should *not* contain xt/ directory, while distribution should. * Name of source directory does *not* include version (e. g. Version-Dotted), while name of distribution does (e. g. Version-Dotted-v0.7.1). SOURCE Version-Dotted source is in Mercurial repository hosted on fedorapeople.org. To clone the entire repository: $ hg clone https://vandebugger.fedorapeople.org/hg/perl-Version-Dotted Source Files Version-Dotted source files usually include a comment near the top of the file: This file is part of perl-Version-Dotted. Not all source files are included into distribution. Some source files are used at distribution build time only, and not required for installation. DISTRIBUTION Version-Dotted distributions are published on CPAN . Generated Files Distribution may contain files preprocessed or generated by Dist-Zilla and its plugins. Some generated files are made from Version-Dotted source, but some are generated from third-party templates. Files generated from third-party templates usually include a comment near the top of the file: This file was generated with NAME (where *NAME* is a name of the plugin generated the file). Such files are *not* part of Version-Dotted source, and Version-Dotted copyright and license are not applicable to such files. INSTALLING With cpanm cpanm tool is (probably) the easiest way to install distribution. It automates downloading, building, testing, installing, and uninstalling. To install the latest version from CPAN: $ cpanm Version::Dotted To install a specific version (e. g. *v0.7.1*) from CPAN: $ cpanm Version::Dotted@v0.7.1 To install locally available distribution (e. g. previously downloaded from CPAN or built from sources): $ cpanm ./Version-Dotted-v0.7.1.tar.gz To uninstall the distribution: $ cpanm -U Version::Dotted Manually To install distribution tarball manually (let us assume you have version *v0.7.1* of the distribution): $ tar xaf Version-Dotted-v0.7.1.tar.gz $ cd Version-Dotted-v0.7.1 $ perl Build.PL $ ./Build build $ ./Build test $ ./Build install See Also How to install CPAN modules HACKING For hacking, you will need Mercurial, Perl interpreter and Dist-Zilla (with some plugins), and likely cpanm to install missed parts. Clone the repository first: $ hg clone https://vandebugger.fedorapeople.org/hg/perl-Version-Dotted $ cd perl-Version-Dotted To build a distribution from the source, run: $ dzil build If required Dist-Zilla plugins are missed, the dzil tool will warn you and show the command to install all the required plugins, e. g.: Required plugin Dist::Zilla::Plugin::Test::EOL isn't installed. Run 'dzil authordeps' to see a list of all required plugins. You can pipe the list to your CPAN client to install or update them: dzil authordeps --missing | cpanm To run the tests (to check primary software functionality): $ dzil test To run extended tests (to check source code style, documentation and other things which are not too important for software end users): $ dzil xtest To install the distribution: $ dzil install or $ cpanm ./Version-Dotted-VERSION.tar.gz where *VERSION* is a version of built distribution. To clean the directory: $ dzil clean DOCUMENTATION Online The easiest way is browsing the documentation online at meta::cpan . Locally Installed If you have the distribution installed, use perldoc tool to browse locally installed documentation: $ perldoc Version::Dotted::Manual $ perldoc Version::Dotted Built from Source Build Version-Dotted first (see "HACKING"), then: $ cd Version-Dotted-VERSION $ perldoc Version::Dotted::Manual $ perldoc Version::Dotted where *VERSION* is a version of built distribution. FEEDBACK CPAN Request Tracker The quickest way to report a bug in Version-Dotted is by sending email to bug-Version-Dotted [at] rt.cpan.org. CPAN request tracker can be used via web interface also: Browse bugs Browsing bugs does not require authentication. Report bugs You need to be a CPAN author, have a BitCard account, or OpenID in order to report bugs via the web interface. (On 2015-04-27 I have logged in successfully with my LiveJournal OpenID, but my Google OpenID did not work for CPAN. I did not check other OpenID providers.) Send Email to Author As a last resort, send email to author: Van de Bugger . Please start message subject with "perl-Version-Dotted:". GLOSSARY CPAN Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, a large collection of Perl software and documentation. See cpan.org , What is CPAN? . Distribution Tarball, containing Perl modules and accompanying files (documentation, metainfo, tests). Usually distributions are uploaded to CPAN, and can be installed with dedicated tools (cpan, cpanm, and others). Module Perl library file, usually with .pm suffix. Usually contains one package. See perlmod . Package Perl language construct. See package and perlmod .