JavaScript runs on the web browser's computer, perl runs on the web server. To communicate from the browser to the server you'll need to put a CGI which can run this function on command. Perhaps you'd do something like document.location = document.location.href.replace( '/.*', '/cgi-bin/allExaminations.pl?action=logout' ); in your page's JavaScript and then you have to have your CGI be able to handle the parameter you just gave it. So maybe you said use CGI; my $q = CGI->new earlier and can then say logout() if $q->param( 'action' ) eq 'logout'.