How does Perl handle subroutines and functions?

In Perl, subroutines and functions are used to organize and reuse code. Subroutines are blocks of code that can be called multiple times from different parts of the program. Functions are similar to subroutines, but they also return a value.

A subroutine is defined using the keyword "sub" and a name, like this:

sub my_subroutine { # code here }

Functions are defined similarly, but with the keyword "sub" replaced by "func":

func my_function { # code here }

To call a subroutine or a function, you use its name followed by parentheses, like this:

my_subroutine(); my_function();

Subroutines and functions can also take arguments, which are passed in the parentheses when the subroutine or function is called. The arguments are then available inside the subroutine or function as special variables called @_ or $_.

Functions can return values, which can be captured by the calling code. This is done by using the "return" statement within the function.

func my_function { return "Hello World"; } print my_function(); # prints "Hello World"

Perl also supports a feature called "prototypes" which allows developers to define the expected types of the arguments of the function, this can help catch errors early on.

In summary, Perl provides a way to organize and reuse code by using subroutines and functions. Subroutines are used to group code that needs to be reused, and functions are used to group code that needs to be reused and return a value. These can be passed arguments and can return values, making it easier to write more organized, maintainable, and efficient code.