How to get past Sub::Defer in the Perl debugger

📰 Dev.to · Zaphod Dev

Learn to navigate past Sub::Defer in the Perl debugger to improve debugging efficiency

intermediate Published 14 Apr 2026

Action Steps

Run the Perl debugger with the -d flag to start debugging your script
Use the 'n' command to step over the Sub::Defer code and continue execution
Apply the 'r' command to return from the current subroutine and get past Sub::Defer
Test the script with different inputs to ensure the issue is resolved
Configure your debugger settings to handle Sub::Defer more efficiently in the future

Who Needs to Know This

This benefits software engineers and developers who use Perl and need to debug their code, especially when dealing with deferred subroutines.

Key Insight

💡 The Perl debugger can step over or return from Sub::Defer code, allowing you to continue debugging your script efficiently.