Before I actually took a serious look at Class::DBI, I always thought that it was something like DAO (Data Access Object) in Java. But when I really looked at it, it was not, it was more like a SQL statement generator, or another way to write a SQL statement without knowing the syntax, but then you have to know the syntax of Class::DBI.

I agree that Class::DBI will provide certain help in a way, but not in the sense to keep access close to data.

The DAO's in Java is really what you mentioned, keeping access close to data. The person write DAO needs to know the database table structure, know all the column names etc. But the caller of those DAO's don't need to know those any more, to them, data is data, doesn't matter how it is stored in database.

Class::DBI clearly lacks those merits.

To me, Class::DBI is not a way to keep access close to data, or to hide the table strcutures from the user, but mainly just a way to generate SQL statement.

BTW, in Java, there is nothing similar to this (Even if there is any, it is not popular at all. On the other hand, I doubt that this is a must, and how much benefit it brings to the table.).

Personally I think that the Java way delivers "keeping access close to data".