Comment by G4Vi
3 years ago
Author here. Nice comparison. By default (and the released) APPerl binaries do not self-modify (they use the non-self modifying ape loader) however on unix-like they install the APE loader to`$HOME/.ape`and use that ELF executable to run the APE. To skip the fork+exec to the ape loader, they can be assimilated with `--assimilate`, that does turn the APE executable into ELF.
There is a kernel patch to add APE (Actually Portable Executable) support to Linux removing the need for the the apeloader or assimilating. I'm not sure what the status is on that.
I forgot to mention APPerl and StaticPerl have many overlapping use cases, but APPerl is more tailored to application packaging. APPerl is built with a patch to Perl adding argv[0] script execution, allowing the APPerl binary to turn into a binary for any of the embedded scripts, with a rename or symlink rather then needing to pass flags the Perl executable to load modules.
Update on the APE Linux kernel support (for fork/ --assimilate)less APE execution. jart informed me: "It's in the process of being emailed out to the kernel developers. I anticipate it'll be merged within the next three months."
Could you suggest a way to do electron-like apps in APPerl?
I'm thinking of serving content on 127.0.0.2. There is no need for a high performance server like nginx, but serving files and having some CGI capability would be a plus.
I'd be interested in suggestions for the HTTP server part and maybe an example for how do serve an index.pl file that reads payload files packaged in the APPerl binary (ex: .js, .jpg)
I would first create a script that runs a web server that performs as expected (serving files, and handling dynamic functionality in the script or in a perl module, or by paths to cgi scripts as needed). I rolled by own for packing my personal http media server (MHFS), but there's plenty of HTTP servers on CPAN. I'm not sure which one's are best.
Then, I would create a custom build of APPerl using Perl::Dist::APPerl 's apperlm and modifying the apperl-project.json to pack in the script, CPAN modules, cgi files, and the static resources into a APPerl binary. When bundled into APPerl, the script can read the files embedded in APPerl from the /zip path.
Perl::Dist::APPerl (with tutorial on building apps): https://metacpan.org/pod/Perl::Dist::APPerl
MHFS's APPerl packaging config: https://github.com/G4Vi/MHFS/blob/master/apperl/apperl-proje...
> there's plenty of HTTP servers on CPAN. I'm not sure which one's are best.
Same. I know about HTTP::Daemon, HTTP::Tiny and HTTP::Server::Simple
If you have tried one of the 3 and can confirm it works with APPerl, it might save time?
If not, first with HTTP::Daemon (since it shows how to bind to a given IP in https://gist.github.com/mikkun/6388508, unlike HTTP::Tiny) I will try to release something similar to redbean but based on perl and DBD::SQLite
> When bundled into APPerl, the script can read the files embedded in APPerl from the /zip path.
That much I knew, but I was afraid there might be extra things needed
> MHFS's APPerl packaging config: https://github.com/G4Vi/MHFS/blob/master/apperl/apperl-proje...
Thank you! Then I might go with MHFS at first (tweaking its index.pl), if only because it's been tested by you with APPerl :)
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