User::grent(3pm)

Hey bestie — welcome to User::grent(3pm) from the Perl Programmers Reference Guide! 🦋 This is the by-name interface to Perl's built-in getgr*() functions, and it's lowkey iconic.

💖 NAME 💖

User::grent — by-name interface to Perl's built-in getgr*() functions. Periodt. 👑

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

use User::grent;
my $gr = getgrgid(0) or die "No group zero";
if ( $gr->name eq 'wheel' && @{$gr->members} > 1 ) {
    print "gid zero name wheel, with other members";
}

use User::grent qw(:FIELDS);
getgrgid(0) or die "No group zero";
if ( $gr_name eq 'wheel' && @gr_members > 1 ) {
    print "gid zero name wheel, with other members";
}

my $gr = getgr($whoever);

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

Okay so, this module's default exports override the core getgrent(), getgrgid(), and getgrnam() functions, replacing them with versions that return User::grent objects. Slay. ✨

This object has methods that return the similarly named structure field name from the C's passwd structure from grp.h; namely name, passwd, gid, and members (not mem). The first three return scalars, the last an array reference.

You may also import all the structure fields directly into your namespace as regular variables using the :FIELDS import tag. (Note that this still overrides your core functions.) Access these fields as variables named with a preceding gr_. Thus, $group_obj->gid() corresponds to $gr_gid if you import the fields. Array references are available as regular array variables, so @{ $group_obj->members() } would be simply @gr_members.

The getgr() function is a simple front-end that forwards a numeric argument to getgrgid() and the rest to getgrnam(). Cute, efficient, no notes. 🎀

To access this functionality without the core overrides, pass the use an empty import list, and then access the functions with their full qualified names. On the other hand, the built-ins are still available via the CORE:: pseudo-package.

🫶 NOTE 🫶

While this class is currently implemented using the Class::Struct module to build a struct-like class, you shouldn't rely upon this. No cap — don't build your whole personality on that implementation detail, bestie. 🙈

🌸 AUTHOR 🌸

Tom Christiansen. 💜

---

This is the User::grent(3pm) page from perl v5.42.3, dated 2026-11-03. Bye bestie — go query some groups! 👑💅