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== Pattern Matching == Pattern matching is a powerful feature of the Elixir programming language. It allows developers to match values and data structures against specific patterns, enabling concise and expressive code. === Syntax === Patterns in Elixir are written using the `<code>match</code>` keyword. The basic syntax for pattern matching is as follows: <code>match pattern do clause_1 -> expression_1 clause_2 -> expression_2 ... end</code> Patterns can match on various types of data, such as atoms, integers, floating-point numbers, tuples, lists, and more. You can also use variables and guard clauses in patterns to provide more flexibility. === Examples === Here are some examples to illustrate how pattern matching works in Elixir: <code># Matching on atoms match :ok do :ok -> "Success!" :error -> "Error!" end</code> <code># Matching on tuples match {:ok, result} do {:ok, value} -> "Received value: #{value}" {:error, reason} -> "Received error: #{reason}" end</code> <code># Matching on lists match [head | tail] do [] -> "Empty list" [first] -> "List with one element: #{first}" [first, second] -> "List with two elements: #{first}, #{second}" [first, second | rest] -> "List with more than two elements" end</code> <code># Matching with variables and guard clauses defmodule Math do def sum(a, 0), do: a def sum(a, b) when b > 0 do a + b end def sum(a, b) do a - b end end</code> === Benefits === Pattern matching provides several benefits to Elixir developers: - Concise and readable code - Easily handle different cases and scenarios - Support for destructuring data structures - Improved error handling and debugging === Conclusion === Pattern matching is a fundamental concept in Elixir programming. It allows developers to write expressive and elegant code, making it easier to handle different cases and scenarios. Understanding and leveraging pattern matching can greatly enhance your Elixir programming skills. == See Also == * [[Pattern Matching Techniques]] * [[Destructuring in Elixir]] * [[Error Handling in Elixir]] * [[Guard Clauses in Elixir]] * [[Elixir (programming language) Wiki]] * [[Elixir Documentation]]
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