Use hashes.

Here's the basic thing - Perl stores all variables in a symbol table, which is just a special kind of hash. If you want to create your own personal symbol table, use your own personal hash.

Now, you're going to say that hashes can only store scalars as their values, and you'd be right. However, use straight, normal, basic references. Thus, if it's a scalar, you just store it. If it's an array or hash (or even a subroutine!), you store a reference to it, and dereference it as necessary. (Use ref to figure out what's what, if you need to, but you shouldn't.)

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