OTP Behaviors
OTP Behaviors[edit]
OTP behaviors are predefined patterns in the Elixir programming language that help developers build reliable, scalable, and fault-tolerant applications. These behaviors provide a set of implemented callbacks and predefined functionalities, streamlining the process of creating robust concurrent systems.
Supervisor[edit]
The Supervisor behavior is responsible for managing and monitoring other processes, ensuring their availability and restarting them if necessary.
GenServer[edit]
GenServer is a generic server behavior that provides a client-server model for message passing. It allows developers to define request-reply interactions between processes, making it a foundational component for building concurrent systems.
GenEvent[edit]
GenEvent provides an efficient and standardized way of handling events and event-based communication. It allows processes to subscribe to events and receive notifications when those events occur.
GenStateMachine[edit]
The GenStateMachine behavior is designed for building state machines in Elixir. It provides a declarative way to define and manage complex state transitions and actions associated with those transitions.
GenStage[edit]
GenStage is a behavior for implementing efficient and scalable event processing pipelines. It enables a flow-based processing model with back-pressure support, ensuring efficient utilization of system resources.
DynamicSupervisor[edit]
DynamicSupervisor is a specialized supervisor behavior that allows for dynamic supervision tree management. It provides mechanisms for dynamically adding and removing processes from supervision trees, making it an excellent choice for systems with changing requirements.
Agent[edit]
The Agent behavior is used to encapsulate state and behavior within a single process. It allows for safe and concurrent manipulations of state, providing atomic updates and synchronous/asynchronous access to the encapsulated data.
Task[edit]
Task is a behavior that enables developers to execute concurrent and asynchronous computations. It provides mechanisms for spawning lightweight processes and managing their lifecycles.
GenFSM[edit]
GenFSM is a finite-state machine behavior that facilitates stateful programming in Elixir. It allows developers to define states, transitions, and associated actions, enabling the implementation of complex business logic.
These OTP behaviors, along with others not covered here, offer clear specifications and reusable patterns to enhance the development process. By leveraging these predefined behaviors, Elixir developers can build fault-tolerant, concurrent, and scalable applications more easily.