Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec

The CPAN META Spec is the basis for the META.yml metadata files included in most modern CPAN distributions. Since the spec was last updated two years ago, there have been suggestions in many forums for how it could be improved in clarity or functionality, but nothing has been done.

To move from ideas to implementation, I have convened a working group of Perl/CPAN toolchain developers, maintainers, packagers and indexers -- the people responsible for the tools you use to configure, build, install or search for CPAN modules -- to review proposals, reach consensus and ultimately implement a new CPAN META Spec.

To ensure that we benefit from the best ideas in the Perl community, on behalf of this working group, I am issuing a public call for proposals.

Process

Here is the process and timeline:

Add proposals to the CPAN Meta Spec Proposals page on the Perl QA Wiki. Discussion and refinement is encouraged through the discussion page on the wiki or on the cpan-workers mailing list (see below for details)
The Call for Proposals will close on Oct. 1, 2009.
The working group will post proposals on the cpan-workers mailing list for public discussion
Public discussion will close on Nov. 1, 2009.
The working group will reach consensus on proposals to adopt or reject and release a new CPAN META Spec no later than Dec. 1, 2009.

Criteria

Since the work of implementation requires volunteer effort, the working group is looking for incremental improvements rather than complete rewrites of the spec. Proposal are more likely to be adopted if they:

Improve clarity or resolve ambiguity
Are narrow in scope
Address specific, current deficiencies
Are consistent with the general style of the existing spec
Require minimal implementation effort

Resources

The current spec: Browse the current spec, as converted to HTML, here: http://module-build.sourceforge.net/META-spec.html.

The repository: The official spec draft file, META-spec.pod, has been moved from the Module-Build repository into its own repository on github. Please feel free to include proposed patches as part of proposals:

Repository: git://github.com/dagolden/cpan-meta-spec.git
Browser: http://github.com/dagolden/cpan-meta-spec/

The wiki: Proposals will be kept on the Perl QA Wiki: http://perl-qa.hexten.net/wiki/index.php/CPAN_Meta_Spec_Proposals

The mailing list: Subscribe to cpan-workers by emailing cpan-workers-subscribe@perl.org. List archives are available at http://www.mail-archive.com/cpan-workers@perl.org/

-xdg

Code written by xdg and posted on PerlMonks is public domain. It is provided as is with no warranties, express or implied, of any kind. Posted code may not have been tested. Use of posted code is at your own risk.

Comment on Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec by Tux (Canon) on Aug 27, 2009 at 06:48 UTC
xdg++ for starting this. I already added my comments/major griefs You know where to find me for testing. Enjoy, Have FUN! H.Merijn	[reply]
Re: Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec by Anonymous Monk on Aug 27, 2009 at 03:04 UTC
http://module-build.sourceforge.net/META-spec-blead.html is more current, explains dynamic_config	[reply]
Re: Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec by ambrus (Abbot) on Aug 27, 2009 at 11:47 UTC
I'm lazy to write a whole proposal, but as for “address specific, current deficiencies” let me point to Re: Upgrading CPAN - Yes We Can.	[reply]
Re^2: Call for proposals: CPAN META Spec by xdg (Monsignor) on Aug 27, 2009 at 15:46 UTC
If you look on the proposals page, you'll see I already listed that in the "Other Brainstorming" section. `* Add a way to specify requirement 'junctions' (e.g. at least one of F +oo::PP, Foo::XS or Foo::LibFoo)` [download] If someone turns that into an actual proposal (i.e. with syntax, semantics, etc.), it will be considered. -xdg Code written by xdg and posted on PerlMonks is public domain. It is provided as is with no warranties, express or implied, of any kind. Posted code may not have been tested. Use of posted code is at your own risk.	[reply] [d/l]


Perl-Sensitive Sunglasses
	PerlMonks