libfeature-compat-class-perl

This module provides the new 'class' keyword and related others ('method', 'field' and 'ADJUST') in a forward-compatible way. Perl added such syntax at version 5.38.0, which is enabled by use feature 'class'; This syntax was further expanded in 5.40, adding the '__CLASS__' keyword and ':reader' attribute on fields. On that version of perl or later, this module simply enables the core feature equivalent of using it directly. On such perls, this module will install with no non-core dependencies, and requires no C compiler. On older versions of perl before such syntax is availble in core, it is currently provided instead using the Object::Pad module, imported with a special set of options to configure it to only recognise the same syntax as the core perl feature, thus ensuring any code using it will still continue to function on that newer perl. This module is a work-in-progress, because the underlying 'feature 'class'' is too. Many of the limitations and inabilities listed below are a result of the early-access nature of this branch, and are expected to be lifted as work progresses towards a more featureful and complete implementation.