Side by side
plenv vs vfox
Both stand on development environment managers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMac
Choose plenv if you need project-specific Perl versions on Linux or macOS and want shell-based switching. Its local version file and shims provide per-project selection, while plugins extend installation and module workflows. Look elsewhere if you need to keep using perlbrew, which is incompatible with plenv.
Visit plenv Free plan LinuxMacWindows
vfox provides version management across platforms, shells, and project scopes, with plugins extending tool coverage. Users of non-interactive environments should use the documented `vfox exec` approach.
Visit vfoxThe facts
| plenv | vfox | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | vfox.dev |
| On development environment managers | #37 of 50 | #41 of 50 |
plenv: what it does well
- A `.perl-version` file can pin Perl to a project directory.
- Local project versions take precedence over the global selection.
- Optional Bash and Zsh shell integration and autocompletion are documented.
- Plugins add installation and local::lib integration commands.
- The module migration command can move modules between Perl environments.
What to know first
- plenv is incompatible with perlbrew.
- The listed dependencies include Perl 5.8.1+ and Bash.
- Module migration may produce different module versions.
- curl is needed for `plenv install-cpanm`.
vfox: what it does well
- Supports project, session, and global version scopes.
- Automatically switches versions when entering a project directory.
- Shared `.vfox.toml` configuration supports team use.
- Apache 2.0 licensed.
What to know first
- CMD supports only global scope and is not recommended.
- Proxy support is limited to HTTP(S) protocols.
- Interactive shell hooks are not intended for non-interactive shells.