find out default Perl version

What is 'the default'? Do you mean the version(s) shipped on the -RELEASE disks? Or the current ports tree version (with the ports tree being largely version-agnostic)?
 
5.10 seems to be the default on 7.3 8.0 and 8.1. I think even 7.2.

I suggest using 5.12 tho as perl is now maintained with more frequent updates with no more planned for 5.10.
 
Using 5.12 is fine, but you must use ports only in that case! Packages are all still depending on Perl 5.10, so once you install/upgrade a package, Perl 5.10 will be needed.
 
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Nonetheless, packages will happily insist on Perl 5.10 even when Perl 5.12 is in /etc/make.conf ;)
 
locate perl5
/usr/local/bin/perl5.42.0
..

/usr/local/bin/perl5.42.0 -V
Summary of my perl5 (revision 5 version 42 subversion

__________
still relevant after 15 years

Note: I think, topicstarter meant exactly what Perl authors mean

perl_default.png
 
DEFAULT_VERSIONS didn't exist 15 years ago. It was implemented 3 years after this thread ended.
ports: 377fc0342d3f2f3229c06321c39421698dfa1947
While default versions inside ports was implemented 3 years after this thread ended, we all know that default versions of software inside devices was implemented about 60 years ago since Version 1 AT&T UNIX in 1969 )

In a scope of this system, in my opinion, the default version hierarchically sitting on the top of libs/bins structure and will be used by default if the user do not point to a lower:

/usr/bin <- default and highest
/usr/local/bin <- sometimes when needed
/usr/local/somewhere/nowhere/bin <- not default version at all

I have 2 versions of perl, 3 versions of openssl - the newest deafult on top of all can be used with pkg, another version for ports sometimes needed, and the oldest one wich never connects outside but only needs as depndens and only local and neither ports nor pkg system knows about it exists )

And this hierarchy was implemented long before this thread started )

So, the answer 'default [of anything] version for a freeBSD version' in my opinion is the version locate in toppest /bin folder, despite was it placed in the box or was send later via patch/update/upgrade whatever

Also, variable DEFAULT_VERSIONS wich can be filled by anything "foo.bar" have nothing to do with a system default version. Variable DEFAULT_VERSIONS was implemented to OVERRIDE default version to fool port system with a fake 'default version'.

A real default version not in need to be writed by hand as "default version" lol )

p.s. I found this thread via google cause I was looking for an answer to this question
 
I have 2 versions of perl, 3 versions of openssl - the newest deafult on top of all can be used with pkg, another version for ports sometimes needed, and the oldest one wich never connects outside but only needs as depndens and only local and neither ports nor pkg system knows about it exists )
That's a path issue, which has nothing to do with different default versions of perl, openssl or anything else. On FreeBSD ports/packages install in ${LOCALBASE}, which is typically /usr/local/.

A real default version not in need to be writed by hand as "default version" lol )
Packages in the FreeBSD repositories are built using the default version as set in Mk/bsd.default-versions.mk. If you want to deviate from those defaults you can set them yourself in make.conf(5) then build from ports, or build your own repository.
 
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