Perl API — stat()
$ls test.pl
test.pl
$cat test.pl
my $result = stat('./test.pl');
print "$result n";
$perl test.pl
1
$
Perl Explanation
Returns a 13-element list giving the status info for a file, either
the file opened via FILEHANDLE or DIRHANDLE, or named by EXPR. If
EXPR is omitted, it stats $_ (not _ !). Returns the empty list if
stat fails.
computing Theory Drop
stat() is a Unix system call that returns useful data about a file
inode. The semantics of stat() vary between operating systems. As
an example, the Unix command ls uses it to retrieve information on
(among many others):
source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stat_(system_call)