++ed by:

2 PAUSE users

Author image Neil Bowers
and 1 contributors


UNIVERSAL::require - require() modules from a variable


  # This only needs to be said once in your program.
  require UNIVERSAL::require;

  # Same as "require Some::Module"
  my $module = 'Some::Module';
  $module->require or die $@;

  # Same as "use Some::Module"
  BEGIN { $module->use or die $@ }


If you've ever had to do this...

    eval "require $module";

to get around the bareword caveats on require(), this module is for you. It creates a universal require() class method that will work with every Perl module and its secure. So instead of doing some arcane eval() work, you can do this:


It doesn't save you much typing, but it'll make a lot more sense to someone who's not a ninth level Perl acolyte.



  my $return_val = $module->require           or die $@;
  my $return_val = $module->require($version) or die $@;

This works exactly like Perl's require, except without the bareword restriction, and it doesn't die. Since require() is placed in the UNIVERSAL namespace, it will work on any module. You just have to use UNIVERSAL::require somewhere in your code.

Should the module require fail, or not be a high enough $version, it will simply return false and not die. The error will be in $@ as well as $UNIVERSAL::require::ERROR.

    $module->require or die $@;


    my $require_return = $module->use           or die $@;
    my $require_return = $module->use(@imports) or die $@;

Like UNIVERSAL::require, this allows you to use a $module without having to eval to work around the bareword requirement. It returns the same as require.

Should either the require or the import fail it will return false. The error will be in $@.

If possible, call this inside a BEGIN block to emulate a normal use as closely as possible.

    BEGIN { $module->use }


UNIVERSAL::require makes use of eval STRING. In previous versions of UNIVERSAL::require it was discovered that one could craft a class name which would result in code being executed. This hole has been closed. The only variables now exposed to eval STRING are the caller's package, filename and line which are not tainted.

UNIVERSAL::require is taint clean.


Copyright 2001, 2005 by Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com>.


See http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html


Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com>

Now maintained by Neil Bowers (NEILB).


Module::Load, "require" in perlfunc, http://dev.perl.org/rfc/253.pod