ElixirWiki/Concurrency
Concurrency in Elixir[edit]
Concurrency in Elixir refers to the ability of Elixir programs to execute multiple tasks concurrently, allowing for efficient utilization of system resources. Elixir provides several mechanisms to achieve concurrency, including processes, tasks, and agents. This article explores these concurrency primitives and how to use them effectively in Elixir.
Processes[edit]
Processes in Elixir are lightweight and isolated units of execution. They are used to run concurrent computations and communicate with each other through message passing. Processes in Elixir are not operating system processes, but rather, they are managed by the Erlang virtual machine (BEAM). In Elixir, you can create processes using the `spawn/1` or `spawn_link/1` functions.
Learn more about processes in Elixir.
Tasks[edit]
Tasks in Elixir are higher-level abstractions built on top of processes. They provide a simple and convenient way to start and manage asynchronous computations. Tasks are typically used for I/O-bound operations or CPU-bound computations that are expected to take longer to complete. In Elixir, you can create tasks using the `Task.start/1`, `Task.start_link/1`, or `Task.async/1` functions.
Learn more about tasks in Elixir.
Agents[edit]
Agents in Elixir provide a shared, mutable state that can be accessed concurrently by multiple processes. They are useful when you need to maintain and update a state that can be accessed concurrently but requires synchronization. Agents allow you to encapsulate mutable state and provide a simple and consistent interface for interacting with it. In Elixir, you can create agents using the `Agent.start/1` or `Agent.start_link/1` functions.
Learn more about agents in Elixir.
Supervision[edit]
Supervision is a key concept in Elixir that allows you to build fault-tolerant systems. By using supervision, you can monitor and manage processes, restart them when they crash, and build resilient systems that can recover from failures. Supervisors are responsible for starting, stopping, and monitoring child processes. They provide a powerful mechanism to structure your concurrent Elixir programs and handle failures gracefully.
Learn more about supervision in Elixir.
Conclusion[edit]
Concurrency is a fundamental aspect of Elixir programming, enabling efficient and scalable solutions. With processes, tasks, agents, and supervision, Elixir provides a rich set of tools to handle concurrency effectively. Understanding and mastering these concurrency primitives is essential for building reliable, responsive, and scalable Elixir applications.