Christian Soeller > PDL-2.4.3 > PDL::Intro


Annotate this POD


Open  0
View/Report Bugs


PDL::Intro - Introduction to the Perl Data Language

Version 2.4

"Why is it that we entertain the belief that for every purpose odd numbers are the most effectual?" - Pliny the Elder.

Karl Glazebrook [] and Craig DeForest [


Perl Data Language (PDL) is a perl extension that is designed for scientific and bulk numeric data processing and display. It extends perl's syntax and includes fully vectorized, multidimensional array handling, plus several paths for device-independent graphics output.

pdl is an interactive command shell that is supplied with PDL; for more information, see perldl(1).

Because PDL is a modular extension to perl, it is accessible to ordinary perl scripts: to write a command-line PDL script you just say "use PDL;" at the top of an ordinary perl script. There is also a specialized interactive shell (perldl(1)) that allows you to issue PDL commands interactively and that includes a path-based subroutine autoloader similar to those found in MatLab and IDL (which are trademarks of MathWorks and Kodak, respectively). The perldl shell allows you to quickly manipulate and "play with" your data. (You can also invoke it with the shorter command "pdl").



Perl is an extremely good and versatile scripting language, well suited to beginners, and allows rapid prototyping. The PDL extensions to the language use Perl's object-oriented capabilities to seamlessly add high-speed scientific capabilities that are themselves written in perl, C and/or FORTRAN as appropriate -- so your code's "hot spots" run at native compiled-language speed, while you work in the higher level perl language (which itself runs faster than many other JIT-compiled or interpreted languages).

External modules that have been incorporated into PDL include the complete Gnu Scientific Library; CFITSIO for FITS file handling; FFTW; the Slatec matrix-handling package; and the PGPLOT, PLPLOT, Karma, and OpenGL graphics libraries. Ancillary packages written in PDL itself include image handling, curve fitting, matrix manipulation, coordinate transformation, nonlinear data resampling, graphics I/O, and extensive file I/O utilities. Because PDL programs are "just" perl with additional modules loaded, the entire CPAN archive is also available to your PDL scripts.


This manual page provides a general introduction to the underlying philosophy of PDL. For an overview over the rest of the documentation see PDL::Index. As a beginner the following documents are particulary recommended:


Quick summary - PDL for the impatient


The Frequently Asked Questions list for PDL.


Why another matrix language?


An introduction to using smart indices in PDL.


The all important slicing of piddles.


Copyright (C) Karl Glazebrook (, Tuomas J. Lukka, ( and Christian Soeller ( 1997-2002.

Commercial reproduction of this documentation in a different format is forbidden without permission.

syntax highlighting: