Elixir Basics

Introduction

Elixir is a powerful, functional programming language that runs on the Erlang virtual machine. It combines the efficiency and reliability of Erlang with a modern, expressive syntax, making it a popular choice for building scalable and fault-tolerant systems. This article will introduce you to the basics of Elixir, including its syntax, data types, and key concepts.

Syntax

Elixir's syntax is influenced by Ruby, making it both readable and elegant. Here are a few basic syntax rules:

Variables

```elixir name = "Alice" age = 30 ```

Functions

```elixir def greet(name) do

 "Hello, #{name}!"

end ```

Pattern Matching

```elixir {season, temperature} = {:winter, -5} ```

Modules

```elixir defmodule Math do

 def sum(a, b) do
   a + b
 end

end ```

Pipelines

```elixir result = data |> transform1() |> transform2() ```

Data Types

Elixir provides several built-in data types:

Numeric Types

- Integer: 1, 2, -5 - Float: 3.14, 2.0

Atom

- :ok, :error, :hello

Tuple

- {:name, "Alice", :age, 30}

List

- [1, 2, 3]

Map

- %{name: "Alice", age: 30}

String

- "Hello, world!"

Key Concepts

Elixir introduces several key concepts that are fundamental to understanding the language:

Immutability

Elixir values are immutable, meaning they cannot be modified once created. Instead, operations on data structures return new versions of the structure.

Pattern Matching

Pattern matching allows values to be compared against patterns and assigned to variables. It is a powerful tool for destructuring data and conditionally executing code.

Concurrency and Distribution

Elixir inherits concurrency and distribution capabilities from Erlang. It provides lightweight processes, called "actors," which communicate through message passing. This makes it easy to build fault-tolerant and scalable applications.

Metaprogramming

Elixir has powerful metaprogramming capabilities, allowing you to dynamically generate and modify code. This enables advanced techniques like macros and code generation.

Conclusion

This article has provided an overview of the basics of Elixir, including its syntax, data types, and key concepts. Armed with this knowledge, you can start exploring the rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks built on top of Elixir. To dive deeper, check out the following articles on our Elixir wiki:

- Pattern Matching in Elixir - Concurrency in Elixir - Metaprogramming in Elixir

Happy coding with Elixir!