---
name: "Perl::Critic::Policy::Variables::ProtectPrivateVars"
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::Variables::ProtectPrivateVars"
---

# Perl::Critic::Policy::Variables::ProtectPrivateVars(3pm)

Prevent access to private vars in other packages.

## NAME

Perl::Critic::Policy::Variables::ProtectPrivateVars - Prevent access to private vars in other packages.

## AFFILIATION

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

## DESCRIPTION

By convention Perl authors (like authors in many other languages) indicate private methods and variables by inserting a leading underscore before the identifier.  This policy catches attempts to access private variables from outside the package itself.

## CONFIGURATION

This Policy is not configurable except for the standard options.

## HISTORY

This policy is inspired by a similar test in B::Lint

## SEE ALSO

Perl::Critic::Policy::Subroutines::ProtectPrivateSubs

## AUTHOR

Chris Dolan \<cdolan@cpan.org\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2006-2011 Chris Dolan.

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.