I recently had the need to certain error-object modules which overload stringification. (see Re: backwards compatible 'die $obj' (grep.metacpan.org))

I tried grep::metacpan which has some idiosyncrasies, like

• you have to manually reload if the search wasn't completed
• it shows dozens of empty result pages (most probably only the title search)
• code search works only inside a line (which is gitgrep's behaviour)
• you can't filter out certain filetypes/paths like tests in the distro

Which is OK if you know about it, but quite confusing if you start doubting your search query.

So I was looking around for more info, and found http://grep.metacpan.org/about saying

• This is Yet Another project for searching the CPAN.
• This project is purely experimental.
• You should also try the original grep.cpan.me

Alas ... grep.cpan.me is defunct and for sale. (was it good?)

My next guess,Google Code Search was discontinued.

grep::metacpan provides an API and I could start working around the limitations, but before reinventing the wheel I'd like to know about alternatives...

So dear community, how would you solve this?

PS: On a tangent:

guessing the names of potential modules is sometimes the hardest part (e.g. Kavorka for signatures) I could imagine evaluating the semantic links given by the See Also part in PODs. (e.g. Kavorka mentions Function::Parameters and Method::Signatures in it's "See Also")

Is anyone aware of a solution for that?