15.4 Uploading Your Distribution

Once you have your distribution ready to share, visit the PAUSE web page at http://pause.perl.org/ and log in using your PAUSE ID and PAUSE password. The menu has many things you can do; there are two processes to complete for your distribution:

• Upload the distribution archive

• Edit the module metadata

First is the upload, which you can do using an HTTP upload, a web fetch, or an FTP transfer. The HTTP upload is convenient if the distribution archive is on the same computer as your web browser. Otherwise, if you can move the file into a place where it can be fetched (even a private URL will do), you can use the web fetch. If neither option works, then FTP the file to PAUSE FTP server.

After the file is uploaded, you should edit the metadata. Again, select the appropriate menu item from the PAUSE page and follow the instructions. The metadata helps others decide if you're just releasing an alpha version instead of a final release, and whether or not the module needs additional support, like a C compiler.

Within a short period of time, your upload will appear in the mothership CPAN archive, and then over the following day, will propagate around the world, just waiting for its first download.