NAME Role::Inspector - introspection for roles SYNOPSIS use strict; use warnings; use feature qw(say); { package Local::Role; use Role::Tiny; # or Moose::Role, Mouse::Role, etc... requires qw( foo ); sub bar { ... } } use Role::Inspector qw( get_role_info ); my $info = get_role_info('Local::Role'); say $info->{name}; # Local::Role say $info->{type}; # Role::Tiny say for @{$info->{api}}; # bar # foo DESCRIPTION This module allows you to retrieve a hashref of information about a given role. The following role implementations are supported: * Moose::Role * Mouse::Role * Moo::Role * Role::Tiny * Role::Basic * p5-mop-redux Functions `get_role_info($package_name)` Returns a hashref of information about a role; returns `undef` if the package does not appear to be a role. Attempts to load the package using Module::Runtime if it's not already loaded. The hashref may contain the following keys: * `name` - the package name of the role * `type` - the role implementation used by the role * `api` - an arrayref of method names required/provided by the role * `provides` and `requires` - the same as `api`, but split into lists of methods provided and required by the role * `meta` - a metaobject for the role (e.g. a Moose::Meta::Role object). This key may be absent if the role implementation does not provide a metaobject This function may be exported, but is not exported by default. `does_role($thing, $role)` Returns a boolean indicating if $thing does role $role. $thing can be an object, a class name, or a role name. This should mostly give the same answers as `$thing->DOES($role)`, but may be slightly more reliable in some cross-implementation (i.e. Moose roles consuming Moo roles) cases. This function may be exported, but is not exported by default. Methods If you do not wish to export the functions provided by Role::Inspector, you may call them as a class methods: my $info = Role::Inspector->get_role_info($package_name); $thing->blah() if Role::Inspector->does_role($thing, $role); Extending Role::Inspector `Role::Inspector::learn { BLOCK }` In the unlikely situation that you have to deal with some other role implementation that Role::Inspector doesn't know about, you can teach it: use Role::Inspector qw( learn ); learn { my $r = shift; return unless My::Implementation::is_role($r); return { name => $r, type => 'My::Implementation', provides => [ sort(@{My::Implementation::provides($r)}) ], requires => [ sort(@{My::Implementation::requires($r)}) ], }; }; An alternative way to do this is: push @Role::Inspector::SCANNERS, sub { my $r = shift; ...; }; You can do the `push` thing without having loaded Role::Inspector. This makes it suitable for doing inside My::Implementation itself, without introducing an additional dependency on Role::Inspector. Note that if you don't provide all of `provides`, `requires`, and `api`, Role::Inspector will attempt to guess the missing parts. CAVEATS * It is difficult to distinguish between Moo::Role and Role::Tiny roles. (The distinction is not often important anyway.) Thus sometimes the `type` for a Moo::Role may say "Role::Tiny". * The way that Role::Basic roles are detected and introspected is a bit dodgy, relying on undocumented methods. * Where Moose or Mouse roles define attributes, those attributes tend to result in accessor methods being generated. However neither of these frameworks provides a decent way of figuring out which accessor methods will result from composing the role with the class. Role::Inspector does its damnedest to figure out the list of likely methods, but (especially in the case of unusual attribute traits) may get things wrong from time to time. BUGS Please report any bugs to . SEE ALSO Class::Inspector. AUTHOR Toby Inkster . COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE This software is copyright (c) 2014 by Toby Inkster. This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES THIS PACKAGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.