my $file = '/etc/redhat-release';

# content of /etc/redhat-release
# CentOS Linux release 7.6.1810 (Core)

open(SOURCE, '<', $file);
<SOURCE> =~ m/(?<=release )\d/;
close SOURCE;

my $version = $&;
print "The version is: $version\n";

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How can I assign the string to the $version variable without using the '$&' ?

In reply to Read text in file and assign to variable by maxamillionk

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