perl-release-dist-ini

A dist.ini file contains distribution metadata like name, author, and license, plus plugin sections. Lines like [@Bundle] load plugin bundles, while [Plugin] sections configure individual plugins such as GatherDir or Prereqs.

Plugins generally run in this order: GatherDir collects files, PruneCruft removes unwanted files, Prereqs or cpanfile declares dependencies, then version, meta, test, release, and finally VCS plugins like Git::Commit and Git::Tag.

A plugin bundle like [@Author::GETTY] loads a preconfigured set of plugins with one line, while an individual plugin section like [MetaJSON] configures a single plugin. Bundles simplify configuration but hide defaults you may need to override.

Both approaches work with Dist::Zilla. Prereqs can be declared directly in dist.ini via the [Prereqs] plugin, or kept in a separate cpanfile that the build reads. Check which one your distribution uses before editing dependencies.

Version behavior depends on the bundle and version plugins configured. Some bundles like Author::GETTY auto-bump the version post-release, while others require manual edits. Inspect which version plugin is active, such as PkgVersion or AutoVersion.