MetaCPAN website, metacpan.org, CPAN search engine, Perl modules, Perl distributions, POD documentation, authors, releases, source repositories, module metadata, open-source packages, and WHOIS domain data

MetaCPAN

MetaCPAN is a website and search engine for CPAN, helping Perl developers find modules, distributions, documentation, authors, releases, source links, and package metadata.

Core purpose

MetaCPAN provides search and discovery for CPAN modules, distributions, authors, documentation, source links, and release metadata.

Official domain

metacpan.org is the official MetaCPAN website for searching CPAN and reading Perl module documentation.

Domain created

November 3, 2010

The MetaCPAN site logo used as the brand image for the website page.View official MetaCPAN logo

What MetaCPAN is

MetaCPAN official site describes itself as a search engine for CPAN. It helps users search Perl modules, distributions, authors, versions, changes, issues, source repositories, and POD documentation from the Perl package ecosystem. MetaCPAN is not a replacement for CPAN itself. It is a modern discovery layer that makes CPAN content easier to search, link, inspect, and navigate in a browser.

Modules and distributions

In Perl, a module is a reusable namespace of code, while a distribution is the release bundle that can contain one or more modules, tests, documentation, and metadata. MetaCPAN gives users pages for both, so they can move between a module's documentation and the broader distribution that ships it.

Documentation and metadata

MetaCPAN displays POD documentation, release history, author information, version data, dependency metadata, repository links, issue links, and source browsing where available. That makes it useful for both quick reference and deeper package evaluation.

Search shortcuts and filters

The homepage exposes search terms such as `module:`, `distribution:`, `author:`, and `version:`. These shortcuts help Perl developers narrow results when package names, author IDs, and distribution names overlap or when they need a precise version.

Open-source project interface

The MetaCPAN web interface is developed openly, with the public project linked through GitHub. That matters because the site is community infrastructure for a long-running language ecosystem, and improvements often depend on feedback from Perl users and maintainers.

Who uses MetaCPAN

MetaCPAN is used by Perl developers, CPAN authors, system administrators, package maintainers, documentation readers, open-source researchers, and teams maintaining legacy or active Perl systems. Some users search for a module name, while others inspect release history, dependencies, source links, or author activity.

Why it matters

MetaCPAN matters because CPAN is large and historically deep. A strong search and documentation interface helps keep Perl packages discoverable, makes old and new modules easier to evaluate, and gives maintainers a clearer public surface for releases and documentation.

WHOIS domain data

Data pulled: May 24, 2026View current WHOIS record

Domain: metacpan.org
IP address: 151.101.194.217
Registrar: pair Networks, Inc. d/b/a pair Domains
WHOIS server: whois.pairdomains.com
Referral URL: https://whois.pairdomains.com
Created: November 3, 2010
Updated: May 9, 2025
Expires: November 3, 2033
Nameservers: noel.ns.cloudflare.com (172.64.33.216); rosa.ns.cloudflare.com (172.64.32.228)
Domain status: ok
Contact privacy: Registrant contact details are GDPR redacted; registrant organization is listed as Yet Another Society.

Key concepts

CPANThe Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, a long-running ecosystem for Perl modules and distributions.
ModuleA reusable Perl code namespace that can be documented, installed, and depended on by other code.
DistributionA release package that can contain modules, tests, documentation, metadata, and supporting files.
PODPlain Old Documentation, the documentation format commonly used in Perl modules.

Common workflows

Search MetaCPAN for a Perl module and read its POD documentation.
Inspect distribution metadata, dependencies, release history, and author information before installing.
Follow links to source repositories, issue trackers, or release files when evaluating a package.
Use search qualifiers to narrow results by module, distribution, author, or version.

Common misconceptions

MetaCPAN is not CPAN itself; it is a search and web interface built around CPAN content.
A module appearing on MetaCPAN does not guarantee that it is actively maintained or suitable for a project.
A module name and distribution name can differ, so users sometimes need to inspect both pages.

Open questions

How can long-running package ecosystems make maintenance status and security posture easier to understand?
How should package search sites preserve historical packages while highlighting modern best practices?
How can documentation interfaces serve both experienced language users and newcomers learning an ecosystem?