=over =item wantarray X<wantarray> X<context> Returns true if the context of the currently executing subroutine or L<C<eval>|/eval EXPR> is looking for a list value. Returns false if the context is looking for a scalar. Returns the undefined value if the context is looking for no value (void context). return unless defined wantarray; # don't bother doing more my @a = complex_calculation(); return wantarray ? @a : "@a"; L<C<wantarray>|/wantarray>'s result is unspecified in the top level of a file, in a C<BEGIN>, C<UNITCHECK>, C<CHECK>, C<INIT> or C<END> block, or in a C<DESTROY> method. This function should have been named wantlist() instead. =back