*by [Mark Stosberg](http://mark.stosberg.com/blog)* [In 2006](http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2006/10/19/cgi_application.html), the arena of Perl web frameworks pitted the heavyweight [Catalyst](http://www.catalystframework.org/) against the lightweight [CGI::Application](http://www.cgi-app.org/). Since then Perl's framework options have continued to evolve. While both CGI::Application and Catalyst remain popular, several new options have appeared lately. Here's a quick rundown. **[Titanium](http://www.summersault.com/community/weblog/2008/08/09/announcing-titanium-a-solid-lightweight-web-application-framework.html)** provides CGI::Application and a bundle of recommended plugins with unified documentation and easier installation. Because the underlying components are the same solid ones that have already been in use, it's safe and stable to use, despite the new name. Future plans include providing a download package which bundles the dependency chain, for even easier installation. **[HTTP::Engine](http://search.cpan.org/perldoc?HTTP::Engine)** is Moose-based evolution of the HTTP request object we saw in Catalyst, along with the abstractions to run web apps on various server backends. In short, it focuses on the HTTP parts of the web framework stack. On top of that you can build a complete framework in whatever style you want. **[Mojo and Mojolicious](http://mojolicious.org/)** represent a project lead by Sebastian Riedel, one of the original Catalyst contributors. Mojo is distictive for having no dependencies beyond core Perl. Mojo provides the same kind of low-level HTTP components as HTTP::Engine, while Mojolicious represents one possible complete framework built on top of it. Mojolicious' distictive feature is a new dispatching design in the spirit of Ruby-on-Rails "Routes". I have more [in-depth review of Mojo.](http://mark.stosberg.com/blog/2008/11/review-of-mojo-087-a-new-perl-web-framework.html) Some trends I see: * *Shared infrastructure* -- While Perl frameworks continue to compete at a high level, we continue to collaborate on shared utility modules. Projects like HTTP::FillInForm and Data::FormValidator get used by several frameworks, not re-invented. * *CGI.pm must die* -- While we share some things, HTTP::Engine, Catalyst and Mojo have all invented their own HTTP request object, replacing the function of CGI.pm. Clearly there is an interest is moving beyond this old standby, which crams 172 subroutines into the CGI name space. (CGI::Application remains neutral on this point, outsourcing the query object) * *Potential for convergence* -- A number of CGI::Application and Catalyst plugins are rather similar, but not interchangable. Because they are open source, they are usually easy to port from one framework to the other, but this is not ideal. HTTP::Engine and Mojo are both a kind of "framework for frameworks". I see potential for projects to agree on which backend they use, while providing distinctive experiences for programmers who may want to choose a lightweight framework or a featureful one. The result could be web framework plugins which more widely useful to the Perl community. *[Mark Stosberg](http://mark.stosberg.com/blog) has been using programming Perl for the web for over a decade. He is the Principal Developer at [Summersault](http://www.summersault.com) and maintains several CPAN modules including [Titanium](http://search.cpan.org/perldoc?Titanium) and [Data::FormValidator](http://search.cpan.org/perldoc?DataFormValidator).*