Perl has three basic data types: scalars, arrays, and hashes.
Scalars are essentially simple variables. They are preceded by a
dollar sign ($). A scalar is either
a number, a string, or a reference. (A reference is a scalar that
points to another piece of data. References are discussed later in
this chapter.) If you provide a string in which a number is expected
or vice versa, Perl automatically converts the operand using fairly
intuitive rules.
Arrays are ordered lists of scalars accessed with a
numeric subscript (subscripts start at 0). They are preceded by an
“at” sign (@).
Hashes are unordered sets of key/value pairs accessed
with the keys as subscripts. They are preceded by a percent sign
(%).
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