A PL file contains source code written in Perl, which is a scripting language that is compiled and run using a Perl interpreter. It contains lines of Perl program code with variables, operations, functions, and comments. PL files may be difficult to read due to the brief and compact nature of the Perl language syntax.

PL file open in Microsoft Visual Studio Code 1 PL scripts may be used for a variety of purposes, including web server CGI scripting, system administration, and app GUI development. The scripting language is also commonly used to read and search through large amounts of text files since it is especially helpful for parsing text. Programmers typically open and modify PL files with source code editors, such as Microsoft Visual Studio Code and MacroMates TextMate. Plain text editors, which include Microsoft Notepad and Apple TextEdit, may also be used to open and modify PL files. However, source code editors provide more helpful viewing and editing features for the Perl scripting language that are not available with plain text editors. NOTE: PL files typically start with the line #!/usr/local/bin/perl, which tells the computer to run the script using the installed Perl interpreter.