---
name: "Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitStringyEval"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-perl-critic"
version: "1.156-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitStringyEval"
---

# Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitStringyEval(3pm)

Write "eval { my $foo; bar($foo) }" instead of "eval "my $foo; bar($foo);"".

## NAME

Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitStringyEval - Write "eval { my $foo; bar($foo) }" instead of "eval "my $foo; bar($foo);"".

## AFFILIATION

This Policy is part of the core Perl::Critic distribution.

## DESCRIPTION

The string form of `"eval"` is recompiled every time it is executed, whereas the block form is only compiled once.  Also, the string form doesn't give compile-time warnings.

```
    eval "print $foo";        # not ok
    eval {print $foo};        # ok
```

## CONFIGURATION

There is an `"allow_includes"` boolean option for this Policy.  If set, then strings that look like they only include an optional "package" statement followed by a single "use" or "require" statement (with the possible following statement that consists of a single number) are allowed.  With this option set, the following are flagged as indicated:

```
    eval 'use Foo';                           # ok
    eval 'require Foo';                       # ok
    eval "use $thingy;";                      # ok
    eval "require $thingy;";                  # ok
    eval 'package Pkg; use Foo';              # ok
    eval 'package Pkg; require Foo';          # ok
    eval "package $pkg; use $thingy;";        # ok
    eval "package $pkg; require $thingy;";    # ok
    eval "use $thingy; 1;";                   # ok
    eval "require $thingy; 1;";               # ok
    eval "package $pkg; use $thingy; 1;";     # ok
    eval "package $pkg; require $thingy; 1;"; # ok
    eval 'use Foo; blah;';                    # still not ok
    eval 'require Foo; 2; 1;';                # still not ok
    eval 'use $thingy;';                      # still not ok
    eval 'no Foo';                            # still not ok
```

If you don't understand why the number is allowed, see Perl::Critic::Policy::ErrorHandling::RequireCheckingReturnValueOfEval.

This option inspired by Ricardo SIGNES' Perl::Critic::Policy::Lax::ProhibitStringyEval::ExceptForRequire.

## SEE ALSO

Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::RequireBlockGrep

Perl::Critic::Policy::BuiltinFunctions::RequireBlockMap

## AUTHOR

Jeffrey Ryan Thalhammer \<jeff@imaginative-software.com\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2005-2011 Imaginative Software Systems.  All rights reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.  The full text of this license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.