---
name: close
status: documented
runtime: pp
source: src/runtime/pp/io.rs
---
```{index} single: close; Perl built-in (pp runtime)
```

# close

## Synopsis

```perl
close($fh) or die "Cannot close: $!";
close(FH);
```

## Description

Closes a filehandle, flushing any buffered output.

Closes the filehandle and releases its resources from the global
`FILEHANDLE_TABLE`.  For in-memory filehandles (opened against a
scalar reference), the accumulated buffer is written back to the
target variable.  For pipe filehandles, the child process's stdin
is closed and `waitpid` is called; `$?` is set to the child's
exit status.

Both lexical (`$fh`) and bareword (`FH`) filehandle forms are
supported.  The standard handles STDIN/STDOUT/STDERR are
recognized by name.

Returns 1 on success, `undef` on failure.

## See also

open, eof, `$?`