Overview
Welcome to ayokoding’s comprehensive Elixir guide. Master functional programming, concurrent systems, and fault-tolerant applications with the BEAM VM.
What is Elixir?
Elixir is a functional, concurrent programming language that runs on the Erlang VM (BEAM). It combines:
- Functional Programming: Immutability, pattern matching, and higher-order functions
- OTP Platform: Battle-tested concurrency and fault tolerance from Erlang
- Modern Syntax: Ruby-inspired syntax with metaprogramming capabilities
- Phoenix Framework: High-performance web development with LiveView
- Scalability: Millions of concurrent connections on a single machine
Why Learn Elixir?
Elixir excels in domains requiring:
- Real-time Systems: Chat applications, multiplayer games, IoT platforms
- Fault Tolerance: Systems that must never stop (telecom, fintech, healthcare)
- Concurrency: Handling millions of users simultaneously
- Web Development: Modern web apps with Phoenix and LiveView
- Distributed Systems: Multi-node applications with built-in distribution
Who Is This For?
This guide serves:
- Beginners: New to functional programming or Elixir
- OOP Developers: Transitioning from Java, Python, or Ruby
- Backend Engineers: Building scalable web services
- System Architects: Designing fault-tolerant distributed systems
Learning Path
We provide progressive content organized by the Diataxis framework:
Tutorials (5 Levels)
- Initial Setup (0-5%): Install Elixir, write “Hello, World!”
- Quick Start (5-30%): Core concepts to start coding quickly
- Beginner (0-60%): Complete language fundamentals
- Intermediate (60-85%): OTP, Phoenix, Ecto, production patterns
- Advanced (85-95%): BEAM internals, distributed systems, metaprogramming
How-To Guides
- Cookbook: 35-40 ready-to-use recipes for common patterns
- 18+ Guides: Specific solutions (GenServer, Phoenix, Ecto, testing, etc.)
Explanation
- Best Practices: Elixir idioms and “what makes Elixir special”
- Anti-Patterns: Common mistakes from OOP backgrounds
Reference
- Cheat Sheet: Quick syntax and function reference
- Glossary: Elixir/OTP/Phoenix terminology
- Resources: Official docs, books, community links
What Makes Elixir Special?
1. The BEAM VM
Built on 30+ years of Erlang VM development:
- Preemptive Scheduling: Fair CPU distribution across processes
- Fault Tolerance: Supervision trees restart failed processes
- Hot Code Swapping: Update code without stopping the system
- Distribution: Multi-node clustering out of the box
2. The Actor Model
Lightweight processes (not OS threads):
- Millions of Processes: Each with isolated state
- Message Passing: Share nothing, communicate via messages
- Fault Isolation: One process crash doesn’t affect others
3. Functional Programming
Immutability and pure functions:
- Predictability: No hidden state changes
- Concurrency Safety: No race conditions on shared state
- Pattern Matching: Elegant control flow and data transformation
4. Modern Ecosystem
Production-ready tools:
- Mix: Build tool, dependency manager, task runner
- Phoenix: Web framework rivaling Node.js/Rails performance
- LiveView: Real-time UIs without JavaScript
- Ecto: Database wrapper with composable queries
Version Coverage
This guide covers:
- Elixir: 1.14+ (compatible with current stable 1.19)
- OTP: Version compatibility depends on Elixir version:
- Elixir 1.14: OTP 23-26 (OTP 26 from v1.14.5)
- Elixir 1.15-1.16: OTP 24-26
- Elixir 1.17-1.18: OTP 25-27
- Elixir 1.19: OTP 26-28 (minimum 26.0)
- Phoenix: 1.7+ (compatible with current stable 1.8)
- Ecto: 3.10+ (compatible with current stable 3.13)
All examples run on Elixir 1.14+ and are forward-compatible with newer versions.
How to Use This Guide
- Complete Beginners: Start with Initial Setup → Quick Start → Beginner
- Experienced Programmers: Jump to Quick Start, then Intermediate
- Specific Problems: Use Cookbook or How-To Guides
- Best Practices: Read Explanation documents after tutorials
Each tutorial builds on previous knowledge. Cross-references link related content.
Ready to start? Begin with the Initial Setup tutorial.
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