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1 | 1 | =begin pod
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2 | 2 |
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3 |
| -=TITLE Brief Introduction |
| 3 | +=TITLE Brief Introduction |
4 | 4 |
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5 |
| -=SUBTITLE Using the Perl6 Documentation |
| 5 | +=SUBTITLE Using the Perl 6 Documentation |
6 | 6 |
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7 |
| -Documenting a large language like Perl6 has to balance several contradictory goals, such as being brief |
8 |
| -whilst being comprehensive, catering to professional developers with wide experience whilst also being accessible to |
9 |
| -newcomers to the language. |
| 7 | +Documenting a large language like Perl 6 has to balance several contradictory |
| 8 | +goals, such as being brief whilst being comprehensive, catering to professional |
| 9 | +developers with wide experience whilst also being accessible to newcomers to the |
| 10 | +language. |
10 | 11 |
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11 |
| -For a quick hands-on introduction, there is a short L<C<annotated programming example>|/language/101-basics>. |
| 12 | +For a quick hands-on introduction, there is a short |
| 13 | +L<C<annotated programming example>|/language/101-basics>. |
12 | 14 |
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13 |
| -For programmers with experience in other languages, there are a number of B<Migration> guides that compare and |
14 |
| -contrast the features of Perl6 with other languages. |
| 15 | +For programmers with experience in other languages, there are a number of |
| 16 | +B<Migration> guides that compare and contrast the features of Perl6 with other |
| 17 | +languages. |
15 | 18 |
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16 |
| -A number of B<Tutorials> cover several areas in which Perl6 is particularly innovative. The section headers should help navigate |
17 |
| -the remaining documents. |
| 19 | +A number of B<Tutorials> cover several areas in which Perl6 is particularly |
| 20 | +innovative. The section headers should help navigate the remaining documents. |
18 | 21 |
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19 |
| -There are a number of L<C<useful resources>|https://perl6.org/resources> listed elsewhere on the perl6.org site. |
20 |
| -These include articles, books, slide presentations, and videos. |
| 22 | +There are a number of L<C<useful resources>|https://perl6.org/resources> listed |
| 23 | +elsewhere on the perl6.org site. These include articles, books, slide |
| 24 | +presentations, and videos. |
21 | 25 |
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22 |
| -It has been found that newcommers to Perl6 often ask questions that indicate assumptions carried over from other |
23 |
| -programming paradigms. It is suggested that the following sections in the FUNDAMENTAL TOPICS section |
24 |
| -should be reviewed first. |
| 26 | +It has been found that newcommers to Perl 6 often ask questions that indicate |
| 27 | +assumptions carried over from other programming paradigms. It is suggested that |
| 28 | +the following sections in the FUNDAMENTAL TOPICS section should be reviewed |
| 29 | +first. |
25 | 30 |
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26 |
| -=item L<C<Signatures>|/type/Signature> - each routine, which includes subroutines and methods, has a signature. |
27 |
| -Understanding the information given in the signature of a C<sub> or C<method> provides a quick way to |
| 31 | +=begin item |
| 32 | +L<C<Signatures>|/type/Signature> - each routine, which includes subroutines and methods, has a signature. Understanding the information given in the signature of a C<sub> or C<method> provides a quick way to |
28 | 33 | grasp the operation and effect of the routine.
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| 34 | +=end item |
29 | 35 |
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30 |
| -=item L<C<Containers>|/language/containers> - variables, which are like the nouns of a computer language, are |
| 36 | +=begin item |
| 37 | +L<C<Containers>|/language/containers> - variables, which are like the nouns of a computer language, are |
31 | 38 | containers in which information is stored. The first letter in the formal
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32 | 39 | name of a container, such as the '$' of $my-variable, or '@' of @an-array-of-things, or '%' of %the-scores-in-the-competition,
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33 | 40 | conveys information about the container. However, Perl6 is more abstract than other languages about what can be stored
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34 | 41 | in a container. So, for example, a $scaler container can contain an object that is in fact an array.
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| 42 | +=end item |
35 | 43 |
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36 |
| -=item L<C<Classes and Roles>|/language/classtut> - Perl6 is fundamentally based on objects, which are described |
| 44 | +=begin item |
| 45 | +L<C<Classes and Roles>|/language/classtut> - Perl6 is fundamentally based on objects, which are described |
37 | 46 | in terms of classes and roles. Perl6, unlike some languages, does not
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38 | 47 | B<impose> object-oriented programming practices, and useful programs can be written as if Perl6 was purely procedural in
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39 | 48 | nature. However, complex software, such as the Perl6 compiler itself, is made much simpler by writing in object-oriented idioms,
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40 | 49 | which is why the Perl6 documentation is more easily understood by reviewing what a class is and what a role is. Without understanding
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41 | 50 | about Classes and Roles, it would be difficult to understand Types, to which a whole section of the documentation is devoted.
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| 51 | +=end item |
42 | 52 |
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43 |
| -=item L<C<Traps to Avoid>|/language/traps> - Several common assumptions lead to code that does not work |
| 53 | +=begin item |
| 54 | +L<C<Traps to Avoid>|/language/traps> - Several common assumptions lead to code that does not work |
44 | 55 | as the programmer intended. This section identifies some. It is worth reviewing when something doesn't quite work out.
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| 56 | +=end item |
45 | 57 |
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46 | 58 | =end pod
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