NAME

Perl::Critic::Policy::Compatibility::ProhibitUnixDevNull - don't use explicit /dev/null

DESCRIPTION

This policy is part of the Perl::Critic::Pulp addon. It ask you to not to use filename /dev/null explicitly, but instead File::Spec->devnull for maximum portability across operating systems.

This policy is under the maintenance theme (see "POLICY THEMES" in Perl::Critic) on the basis that even if you're on a Unix system now you never know where your code might travel in the future.

devnull is new in File::Spec version 0.8, so you should require that version. That version is included in Perl 5.6.0 and up.

The checks for /dev/null are unsophisticated. A violation is reported for any string /dev/null, possibly with an open style mode part, or a qw containing /dev/null.

    open my $fh, '< /dev/null';                    # bad
    do_something ("/dev/null");                    # bad
    foreach my $file (qw(/dev/null /etc/passwd))   # bad

String comparisons are allowed because they're not uses of /dev/null as such but likely some sort of cross-platform check.

    if ($f eq '/dev/null') { ... }                 # ok
    return ($f ne '>/dev/null');                   # ok

"/dev/null" as just part of a string is allowed, including things like backticks and system.

    print "Flames to /dev/null please\n"           # ok
    system ('rmdir /foo/bar >/dev/null 2>&1');     # ok
    $hi = `echo hi </dev/null`;                    # ok

Whether /dev/null is a good idea in commands depends what sort of shell you reach and how much of Unix it might emulate on a non-Unix system.

If you only ever use a system with /dev/null, or if everything else you write is hopelessly wedded to Unix anyway, then you can disable ProhibitUnixDevNull from your .perlcriticrc in the usual way,

    [-Compatibility::ProhibitUnixDevNull]

SEE ALSO

Perl::Critic::Pulp, Perl::Critic, File::Spec

HOME PAGE

http://user42.tuxfamily.org/perl-critic-pulp/index.html

COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2009, 2010 Kevin Ryde

Perl-Critic-Pulp is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.

Perl-Critic-Pulp is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with Perl-Critic-Pulp. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.