Built on Perl
Built on Perl — on purpose
Perl isn't a relic here, it's the reason Chinaski is stable. A runtime that's been backward-compatible for 30 years, a package ecosystem that doesn't churn, and code that reads the same way you left it.
View on GitHubWhy Perl is the right choice
Backward-compatible for 30 years
Perl has an explicit policy of not breaking existing code between versions. Code written in 1994 runs on Perl 5.38. That kind of stability is rare and valuable in a web server runtime.
CPAN: a mature package ecosystem
The Comprehensive Perl Archive Network has distributed reusable modules since 1995. Modules don't get yanked, APIs don't change overnight, and the libraries Chinaski uses have been battle-tested for decades.
Runs everywhere Debian does
Perl ships with Debian, Ubuntu, Raspberry Pi OS, and virtually every Linux distribution. No download, no version manager, no PATH configuration. It's already there.
Common questions
Isn't Perl dead?
No. Perl 5 receives regular releases, is actively maintained, and runs in production at banks, telecoms, and thousands of websites. The perception of obsolescence reflects fashion, not fact. Perl's stability is a feature, not a symptom of abandonment.
Can I read and modify the code?
Yes. Chinaski's internals are plain Perl — no metaprogramming, no framework magic, no generated code. A developer who has never written Perl can read the source and understand what it does within a day.
What about hiring Perl developers?
Chinaski is self-hosted software for technical operators. The codebase is small enough that any competent developer can maintain it after a short reading of the source. You're not staffing a Perl shop.
Does it use modern Perl features?
Chinaski uses Perl 5.20+ features where they help readability, but avoids anything exotic. No Moose, no Moo, no framework magic — just structured procedural Perl with explicit data flows.
Explore the engine
Complete setup, theming, and API documentation lives at docs.chinaski.net.
Read the documentation