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{{Short description|Programming language running on the Erlang virtual machine}}
{{Primary sources|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox programming language
| name = Elixir
| title =
| logo = [[File:Elixir programming language logo.svg|frameless|170px|elixir programming language]]
| logo caption = Elixir
| paradigms = [[multi-paradigm programming language|multi-paradigm]]: [[functional programming|functional]], [[concurrent programming|concurrent]], [[distributed programming|distributed]], [[process-oriented programming|process-oriented]]
| typing = [[type system|dynamic]], [[strong typing|strong]]
|
| platform = [[Erlang (programming language)|Erlang]]
| license = [[Apache License 2.0]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/elixir-lang/elixir/blob/master/LICENSE|title=elixir/LICENSE at master · elixir-lang/elixir · GitHub|work=GitHub}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://elixir-lang.org}}
| year = {{start date and age|2012}}
| influenced_by = [[Clojure]], [[Erlang (programming language)|Erlang]], [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]]
| designer = José Valim
| origin = Brazil
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|P348}}
| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|single|P348|P577}}}}
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date =
| file_ext = .ex, .exs
}}
'''Elixir''' is a [[functional
The community organizes yearly events in the United States,<ref>{{Cite web|title = ElixirConf|url = http://elixirconf.com/|access-date = 2018-07-11}}</ref> Europe,<ref>{{Cite web|title = ElixirConf|url = http://elixirconf.eu/|access-date = 2018-07-11}}</ref> and Japan,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Erlang & Elixir Fest|url = https://elixir-fest.jp/|access-date = 2019-02-18}}</ref> as well as minor local events and conferences.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Elixir LDN|url = http://www.elixir.london/|access-date = 2018-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = EMPEX - Empire State Elixir Conference|url = http://empex.co/|access-date = 2018-07-12}}</ref>
== History ==
José Valim created the Elixir programming language as a [[research and development]] project at Plataformatec. His goals were to enable higher extensibility and productivity in the Erlang VM while maintaining compatibility with Erlang's ecosystem.<ref>{{ cite AV media |url=http://vimeo.com/53221562|title=Elixir - A modern approach to programming for the Erlang VM | access-date=2013-02-17}}</ref><ref>{{ cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvpKhA6t8A| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/IZvpKhA6t8A| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=José Valim - ElixirConf EU 2017 Keynote | access-date=2017-07-14}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Elixir is aimed at large-scale sites and apps. It uses features of [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]], Erlang, and [[Clojure]] to develop a high-concurrency and low-latency language. It was designed to handle large data volumes. Elixir is also used in telecommunications, e-commerce, and finance.<ref>{{ cite web |url=https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/btc-elixir-jose-valim/|title=Behinde the code: The One Who Created Elixir | access-date=2019-11-25}}</ref>
In 2021, the Numerical Elixir effort was announced with the goal of bringing machine learning, neural networks, GPU compilation, data processing, and computational notebooks to the Elixir ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Numerical Elixir (Nx)| website=[[GitHub]] |url = https://github.com/elixir-nx|access-date = 2024-05-06}}</ref>
== Versioning ==
Each of the minor versions supports a specific range of Erlang/[[Open Telecom Platform|OTP]] versions.<ref>{{Citation|title=Elixir is a dynamic, functional language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications: elixir-lang/elixir|date=2019-04-21|url=https://github.com/elixir-lang/elixir|publisher=Elixir|access-date=2019-04-21}}</ref> The current stable release version is {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|P348}}.
== Features ==
* [[Compiler|Compiles]] to [[bytecode]] for the [[BEAM (Erlang virtual machine)|BEAM virtual machine]] of [[Erlang (programming language)|Erlang]].<ref name="elixirhome">{{ cite web |url=https://elixir-lang.org/|title=Elixir | access-date=2014-09-07}}</ref> Full interoperability with Erlang code, without [[Runtime (program lifecycle phase)|runtime]] impact.
* Scalability and fault-tolerance, thanks to Erlang's lightweight concurrency mechanisms<ref name="elixirhome" />
* [[Mix (build tool)|Built-in tooling]] for managing dependencies, code compilation, running tests, formatting code, remote debugging and more.
* An interactive [[Read–eval–print loop|REPL]] inside running programs, including [[Phoenix (web framework)|Phoenix]] web servers, with code reloading and access to internal state
* Everything is an [[Expression (computer science)|expression]]<ref name="elixirhome" />
* [[Pattern matching]]<ref name="elixirhome" /> to promote assertive code<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 September 2014 |title=Writing assertive code with Elixir |url=http://blog.plataformatec.com.br/2014/09/writing-assertive-code-with-elixir/ |access-date=2018-07-05}}</ref>
* Type hints for static analysis tools
* Immutable data, with an emphasis, like other [[Functional programming|functional]] languages, on [[recursion (computer science)|recursion]] and [[higher-order function]]s instead of [[side-effect (computer science)|side-effect]]-based [[loop (computing)|looping]]
* [[Shared nothing architecture|Shared nothing concurrent programming]] via message passing ([[actor model]])<ref>{{cite book |last1=Loder |first1=Wolfgang |url=https://leanpub.com/erlangandelixirforimperativeprogrammers |title=Erlang and Elixir for Imperative Programmers |date=12 May 2015 |publisher=Leanpub |___location="Chapter 16: Code Structuring Concepts", section title "Actor Model" |access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref>
* [[Lazy evaluation|Lazy]] and [[Futures and promises|async collections]] with streams
* Railway oriented programming via the <code>with</code> construct<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wlaschin |first=Scott |date=May 2013 |title=Railway Oriented Programming |url=https://fsharpforfunandprofit.com/rop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130221804/http://fsharpforfunandprofit.com/rop/ |archive-date=30 January 2021 |access-date=28 February 2021 |website=F# for Fun and Profit}}</ref>
* Hygienic [[metaprogramming]] by direct access to the [[abstract syntax tree]] (AST).<ref name="elixirhome" /> Libraries often implement small [[Domain-specific language|___domain-specific languages]], such as for databases or testing.
* Code execution at compile time. The Elixir compiler also runs on the BEAM, so modules that are being compiled can immediately run code which has already been compiled.
* [[Polymorphism (computer science)|Polymorphism]] via a mechanism called protocols. [[Dynamic dispatch]], as in [[Clojure]], however, without [[multiple dispatch]] because Elixir protocols dispatch on a single type.
* Support for documentation via Python-like docstrings in the [[Markdown]] formatting language<ref name="elixirhome" />
* [[Unicode]] support and [[UTF-8]] strings
==
The following examples can be run in an <code>iex</code> [[Shell (computing)|shell]] or saved in a file and run from the [[command line]] by typing <code>elixir ''<filename>''</code>.
Classic [["Hello, World!" program|Hello world]] example:
<syntaxhighlight lang="iex">
iex> IO.puts("Hello World!")
Hello World!
</syntaxhighlight>
Pipe operator:
<syntaxhighlight lang="iex">
iex> "Elixir" |> String.graphemes() |> Enum.frequencies()
%{"E" => 1, "i" => 2, "l" => 1, "r" => 1, "x" => 1}
iex> %{values: 1..5} |> Map.get(:values) |> Enum.map(& &1 * 2)
[2, 4, 6, 8, 10]
iex> %{values: 1..5} |> Map.get(:values) |> Enum.map(& &1 * 2) |> Enum.sum()
30
</syntaxhighlight>
[[Pattern matching]] (a.k.a. destructuring):
<syntaxhighlight lang="iex">
iex> %{left: x} = %{left: 5, right: 8}
iex> x
5
iex> {:ok, [_ | rest]} = {:ok, [1, 2, 3]}
iex> rest
[2, 3]
</syntaxhighlight>
Pattern matching with multiple clauses:
<syntaxhighlight lang="iex">
iex> case File.read("path/to/file") do
iex> {:ok, contents} -> IO.puts("found file: #{contents}")
iex> {:error, reason} -> IO.puts("missing file: #{reason}")
iex> end
</syntaxhighlight>
[[List comprehension]]:
<syntaxhighlight lang="iex">
iex> for n <- 1..5, rem(n, 2) == 1, do: n*n
[1, 9, 25]
</syntaxhighlight>
Asynchronously reading files with streams:
<syntaxhighlight lang="elixir">
1..5
|> Task.async_stream(&File.read!("#{&1}.txt"))
|> Stream.filter(fn {:ok, contents} -> String.trim(contents) != "" end)
|> Enum.join("\n")
</syntaxhighlight>
Multiple function bodies with [[Guard (computer science)#Mathematics|guards]]:
<syntaxhighlight lang="elixir">
def fib(n) when n in [0, 1], do: n
def fib(n), do: fib(n-2) + fib(n-1)
</syntaxhighlight>
Relational databases with the Ecto library:
<syntaxhighlight lang="elixir">
schema "weather" do
field :city # Defaults to type :string
field :temp_lo, :integer
field :temp_hi, :integer
field :prcp, :float, default: 0.0
end
Weather |> where(city: "Kraków") |> order_by(:temp_lo) |> limit(10) |> Repo.all
</syntaxhighlight>
Sequentially spawning a thousand processes:
<syntaxhighlight lang=elixir>
for num <- 1..1000, do: spawn fn -> IO.puts("#{num * 2}") end
</syntaxhighlight>
[[Async/await|Asynchronously]] performing a task:
<syntaxhighlight lang=elixir>
task = Task.async fn -> perform_complex_action() end
other_time_consuming_action()
Task.await task
</syntaxhighlight>{{cn|date=June 2023}}
== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Concurrent computing]]
* [[Distributed computing]]
* [[Parallel computing]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |author1=Simon St. Laurent |author2=J. Eisenberg |date=December 22, 2016 |title=Introducing Elixir: Getting Started in Functional Programming 2nd Edition|publisher=[[O'Reilly Media]] |isbn=978-1491956779 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |author=Sasa Juric |date=January 12, 2019 |title=Elixir in Action 2nd Edition |publisher=[[Manning Publications]] |isbn=978-1617295027 |language=en}}
{{Programming languages}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Concurrent programming languages]]
[[Category:Functional languages]]
[[Category:Pattern matching programming languages]]
[[Category:Programming languages]]
[[Category:Programming languages created in 2012]]
[[Category:Software using the Apache license]]
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