How can I compile my Perl script so it can be executed on systems without 'perl' installed?

Question

I have a .pl file and I want to execute that file in any system even though perl is not installed. How can I achieve it?

What would be some good examples to do that?

Answer 1

pp can create an executable that includes perl and your script (and any module dependencies), but it will be specific to your architecture, so you couldn't run it on both Windows and linux for instance.

From its doc:

To make a stand-alone executable, suitable for running on a machine that doesn't have perl installed:

   % pp -o packed.exe source.pl        # makes packed.exe    # Now, deploy 'packed.exe' to target machine...    $ packed.exe                        # run it 

(% and $ there are command prompts on different machines).

Answer 2

1. Install PAR::Packer. Example for *nix:

   sudo cpan -i PAR::Packer

   For Strawberry Perl for Windows or for ActivePerl and MSVC installed:

   cpan -i PAR::Packer

2. Pack it with pp. It will create an executable named "example" or "example.exe" on Windows.

   pp -o example example.pl

This would work only on the OS where it was built.

P.S. It is really hard to find a Unix clone without Perl. Did you mean Windows?