Most modules are auto-generated based on certain files in this build directory.

First, we generate the api.json file based on the fields.json file. fields.json file is an aggregation of all the MetaCPAN objects fields with their properties definition.

Some correction and addition has been made to this file to reflect the reality of the data sent and retrieved from the MetaCPAN API.

From this fields.json file, we run the script fields2api_def.pl, which will apply some corrections and generate the reference api.json file.

For a more authoritative document, please check the file cpan-openapi-spec-3.0.0.pl, which is compliant with the Open API specifications.

From this api.json, we run the script build_modules.pl, which will generate all the necessary modules with their methods and POD documentation under this directory build.

You can check those modules generated under ./build/modules and if they are satisfactory, you can simply move them under the distribution directory ./lib/Net/API/CPAN/ with cp -a -v ./build/modules/. ./lib/Net/API/CPAN/ and copy the unit tests with cp -a -v ./build/t/0*.t ./t/

The simplest is probably to run the script ./build/build.sh which does all the above starting from running fields2api_def.pl.

The JSON files here are used for example data only for each generated module, in their API SAMPLE POD section.