my $ref = {
    foo => { bar => [ baz => 1, herp => 2, derp => 3 ], },
  };
[download]

> Or maybe I don't know what you mean by, from the second level on.

Your first level deref with H2O

$ref->foo

is 2 characters shorter than

$ref->{foo}

but that's it!

No more gains for further levels

$ref->foo->$bar->baz->bla °

vs

$ref->{foo}{$bar}{baz}{bla}

is still only 2 characters better.

Cheers Rolf
_{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
Wikisyntax for the Monastery}

°) hypothesized, I've never used or tested this.