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```{index} single: Perl::OSType
```

# Perl::OSType

Map Perl operating system names to generic types

## VERSION

version 1.010

## SYNOPSIS

```perl
use Perl::OSType ':all';

$current_type = os_type();
$other_type = os_type('dragonfly'); # gives 'Unix'
```

## DESCRIPTION

Modules that provide OS-specific behaviors often need to know if
the current operating system matches a more generic type of
operating systems. For example, 'linux' is a type of 'Unix' operating system
and so is 'freebsd'.

This module provides a mapping between an operating system name as given by
`$^O` and a more generic type.  The initial version is based on the OS type
mappings provided in [Module::Build](https://metacpan.org/pod/Module::Build) and [ExtUtils::CBuilder](../ExtUtils/CBuilder.md).  (Thus,
Microsoft operating systems are given the type 'Windows' rather than 'Win32'.)

## USAGE

No functions are exported by default. The export tag ":all" will export
all functions listed below.

### os\_type()

```perl
$os_type = os_type();
$os_type = os_type('MSWin32');
```

Returns a single, generic OS type for a given operating system name.  With no
arguments, returns the OS type for the current value of `$^O`.  If the
operating system is not recognized, the function will return the empty string.

### is\_os\_type()

```perl
$is_windows = is_os_type('Windows');
$is_unix    = is_os_type('Unix', 'dragonfly');
```

Given an OS type and OS name, returns true or false if the OS name is of the
given type.  As with `os_type`, it will use the current operating system as a
default if no OS name is provided.

## SEE ALSO

- [Devel::CheckOS](https://metacpan.org/pod/Devel::CheckOS)

## SUPPORT

### Bugs / Feature Requests

Please report any bugs or feature requests through the issue tracker
at [https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/Perl-OSType/issues](https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/Perl-OSType/issues).
You will be notified automatically of any progress on your issue.

### Source Code

This is open source software.  The code repository is available for
public review and contribution under the terms of the license.

[https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/Perl-OSType](https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/Perl-OSType)

```text
git clone https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/Perl-OSType.git
```

## AUTHOR

David Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>

## CONTRIBUTORS

- Chris 'BinGOs' Williams <chris@bingosnet.co.uk>
- David Golden <xdg@xdg.me>
- Graham Ollis <plicease@cpan.org>
- Jonas B. Nielsen <jonasbn@hoarfrost.local>
- Owain G. Ainsworth <oga@nicotinebsd.org>
- Paul Green <Paul.Green@stratus.com>
- Piotr Roszatycki <piotr.roszatycki@gmail.com>

## COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This software is copyright (c) 2016 by David Golden.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.