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`*`!Programming Perl`!`*, best known as the `!Camel Book`! among `F33f`_`[programmers`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Programmer]`_`f,`:cite-ref-hughes-1-0[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-hughes-1]`_`f] is a book about writing programs using the `F33f`_`[Perl`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Perl]`_`f `F33f`_`[programming language`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Programming_language]`_`f, revised as several editions (1991–2012) to reflect major language changes since Perl version 4. Editions have been co-written by the creator of Perl, `F33f`_`[Larry Wall`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Larry_Wall]`_`f, along with `F33f`_`[Randal L. Schwartz`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Randal_L._Schwartz]`_`f, then `F33f`_`[Tom Christiansen`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Tom_Christiansen]`_`f and then Jon Orwant. Published by `F33f`_`[O'Reilly Media`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=O'Reilly_Media]`_`f, the book is considered the canonical reference work for Perl programmers. With over 1,000 pages, the various editions contain complete descriptions of each Perl language version and its `F33f`_`[interpreter`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Interpreter_(computing)]`_`f. Examples range from trivial `F33f`_`[code snippets`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Snippet_(programming)]`_`f to the highly complex `F33f`_`[expressions`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Expression_(computer_science)]`_`f for which Perl is widely known. The camel book editions are also noted for being written in an approachable and humorous style.

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[History`#history]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Editions`#editions]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[See also`#see-also]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[External links`#external-links]`_`f

-─

>>History

The first edition, which gained the nickname "the pink camel" due to its pink spine, was originally published in January 1991 and covered version 4 of the Perl language. It was the work of Larry Wall and Randal L. Schwartz. The second edition, published in August 1996, included updates for the release of `F33f`_`[Perl 5`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Perl]`_`f, among them `F33f`_`[references`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Reference_(computer_science)]`_`f, `F33f`_`[objects`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Object_(object-oriented_programming)]`_`f, `F33f`_`[packages`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Modular_programming]`_`f and other modern programming constructs.`:cite-ref-hughes-1-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-hughes-1]`_`f] This edition was written from scratch by the original authors and Tom Christiansen.`:cite-ref-hughes-1-2[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-hughes-1]`_`f] In July 2000, the third edition of `*Programming Perl`* was published. This version was again rewritten, this time by Wall, Christiansen and Jon Orwant, and covered the Perl 5.6 language.`:cite-ref-2[`F5bf`_`[2`#cite-note-2]`_`f]`:cite-ref-3[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-3]`_`f] The fourth edition constitutes a major update and rewrite of the book for Perl version 5.14, and improves the coverage of `F33f`_`[Unicode`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Unicode]`_`f usage in Perl. The fourth edition was published in February 2012. This edition is written by Tom Christiansen, `F33f`_`[brian d foy`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Brian_d_foy]`_`f, Larry Wall and Jon Orwant.

`*Programming Perl`* has also been made available electronically by O'Reilly, both through its inclusion in various editions of `*The Perl CD Bookshelf`* and through the "`F33f`_`[Safari`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Safari_(ebooks)]`_`f" service (a subscription-based website containing technical `F33f`_`[ebooks`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Ebook]`_`f). The publisher offers online a free sample of Chapter 18 of the third edition [1] and the Chapter 1 of the fourth edition [2] as well as the complete set of code examples in the book (third edition) [3]. O'Reilly maintains a trademark on the use of a camel in association with Perl, but allows noncommercial use.`:cite-ref-4[`F5bf`_`[4`#cite-note-4]`_`f]`:cite-ref-5[`F5bf`_`[5`#cite-note-5]`_`f]

>>Editions

• First edition (1991; 482 pages; covers Perl 4; `F33f`_`[ISBN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=ISBN_(identifier)]`_`f 978-0-937175-64-4)

• Second edition (1996; 670 pages; covers Perl 5.003; `F33f`_`[ISBN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=ISBN_(identifier)]`_`f 978-1-56592-149-8)

• Third edition (2000; 1104 pages; covers Perl 5.6; `F33f`_`[ISBN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=ISBN_(identifier)]`_`f 978-0-596-00027-1)

• Fourth edition (2012; 1184 pages; covers Perl 5.14; `F33f`_`[ISBN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=ISBN_(identifier)]`_`f 978-0-596-00492-7)

The second edition of the book was the best-selling book in the O'Reilly Media catalog in 1996, and one of the top 100 selling books in any category at `F33f`_`[Borders`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Borders_(retailer)]`_`f in 1996.`:cite-ref-6[`F5bf`_`[6`#cite-note-6]`_`f]

In 1998 the second edition was the 58th bestselling book at Amazon, just ahead of `F33f`_`[Bjarne Stroustrup`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Bjarne_Stroustrup]`_`f's `F33f`_`[The C++ Programming Language`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=The_C++_Programming_Language]`_`f third edition.`:cite-ref-7[`F5bf`_`[7`#cite-note-7]`_`f]

>>See also

• Some related books published by O'Reilly are: `*`F33f`_`[Learning Perl`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Learning_Perl]`_`f`*, `*`F33f`_`[Intermediate Perl`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Intermediate_Perl]`_`f`*, and `*`F33f`_`[Mastering Perl`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Mastering_Perl]`_`f`*.

• The "Three Virtues of a Programmer" are three entries in the Glossary of the 2nd edition of the book, which have been popularized outside the Perl programming community.

>>References

`:cite-note-hughes-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-hughes-1-0]`_`f `:citerefhughes1997`aHughes, Phil (1 March 1997). "Programming Perl". `F33f`_`[Linux Journal`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Linux_Journal]`_`f. Retrieved 12 March 2021.

`:cite-note-2`!2.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-2]`_`f `:citerefbarry2000`aBarry, Paul (1 December 2000). "Programming Perl, Third Edition". Linux Journal. Retrieved 12 March 2021.

`:cite-note-3`!3.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-3]`_`f `:citerefzlatanov2000`aZlatanov, Teodor (September 2000). "Cultured Perl: Review of Programming Perl, Third Edition". DeveloperWorks. Archived from the original on 18 May 2001.

`:cite-note-4`!4.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-4]`_`f "The Perl Camel".

`:cite-note-5`!5.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-5]`_`f "The Perl Camel FAQ". Archived from the original on 2018-04-25.

`:cite-note-6`!6.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-6]`_`f `:citerefo-reilly2015`a`F33f`_`[O'Reilly, Tim`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Tim_O'Reilly]`_`f (5 October 2015). "Tim O'Reilly on technology and work". `*EconTalk`* (Interview). Interviewed by Russ Roberts. The Library of Economics and Liberty. 8:10-8:50. Retrieved 12 March 2021.

`:cite-note-7`!7.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-7]`_`f "Amazon Best Sellers of 1998". `*Amazon UK`*. 1998. Retrieved 20 August 2024.

>>External links

• Programming Perl, 4th Edition

• Preview or read online (4th edition) at `F33f`_`[Safari Books Online`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Safari_Books_Online]`_`f (subscription required)

• Review of Programming Perl, 3rd Edition

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