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+---
+language: elixir
+contributors:
+ - ["Joao Marques", "http://github.com/mrshankly"]
+filename: learnelixir.ex
+---
+
+Elixir is a modern functional language built on top of the Erlang VM.
+It's fully compatible with Erlang, but features a more standard syntax
+and many more features.
+
+```ruby
+
+# Single line comments start with a hashtag.
+
+# There's no multi-line comment,
+# but you can stack multiple comments.
+
+# To use the elixir shell use the `iex` command.
+# Compile your modules with the `elixirc` command.
+
+# Both should be in your path if you installed elixir correctly.
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Basic types
+## ---------------------------
+
+# There are numbers
+3 # integer
+0x1F # integer
+3.0 # float
+
+# Atoms, that are literals, a constant with name. They start with `:`.
+:hello # atom
+
+# Tuples that are stored contiguously in memory.
+{1,2,3} # tuple
+
+# We can access a tuple element with the `elem` function:
+elem({1, 2, 3}, 0) #=> 1
+
+# Lists that are implemented as linked lists.
+[1,2,3] # list
+
+# We can access the head and tail of a list as follows:
+[head | tail] = [1,2,3]
+head #=> 1
+tail #=> [2,3]
+
+# In elixir, just like in Erlang, the `=` denotes pattern matching and
+# not an assignment.
+#
+# This means that the left-hand side (pattern) is matched against a
+# right-hand side.
+#
+# This is how the above example of accessing the head and tail of a list works.
+
+# A pattern match will error when the sides don't match, in this example
+# the tuples have different sizes.
+# {a, b, c} = {1, 2} #=> ** (MatchError) no match of right hand side value: {1,2}
+
+# There's also binaries
+<<1,2,3>> # binary
+
+# Strings and char lists
+"hello" # string
+'hello' # char list
+
+# Multi-line strings
+"""
+I'm a multi-line
+string.
+"""
+#=> "I'm a multi-line\nstring.\n"
+
+# Strings are all encoded in UTF-8:
+"héllò" #=> "héllò"
+
+# Strings are really just binaries, and char lists are just lists.
+<<?a, ?b, ?c>> #=> "abc"
+[?a, ?b, ?c] #=> 'abc'
+
+# `?a` in elixir returns the ASCII integer for the letter `a`
+?a #=> 97
+
+# To concatenate lists use `++`, for binaries use `<>`
+[1,2,3] ++ [4,5] #=> [1,2,3,4,5]
+'hello ' ++ 'world' #=> 'hello world'
+
+<<1,2,3>> <> <<4,5>> #=> <<1,2,3,4,5>>
+"hello " <> "world" #=> "hello world"
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Operators
+## ---------------------------
+
+# Some math
+1 + 1 #=> 2
+10 - 5 #=> 5
+5 * 2 #=> 10
+10 / 2 #=> 5.0
+
+# In elixir the operator `/` always returns a float.
+
+# To do integer division use `div`
+div(10, 2) #=> 5
+
+# To get the division remainder use `rem`
+rem(10, 3) #=> 1
+
+# There's also boolean operators: `or`, `and` and `not`.
+# These operators expect a boolean as their first argument.
+true and true #=> true
+false or true #=> true
+# 1 and true #=> ** (ArgumentError) argument error
+
+# Elixir also provides `||`, `&&` and `!` which accept arguments of any type.
+# All values except `false` and `nil` will evaluate to true.
+1 || true #=> 1
+false && 1 #=> false
+nil && 20 #=> nil
+
+!true #=> false
+
+# For comparisons we have: `==`, `!=`, `===`, `!==`, `<=`, `>=`, `<` and `>`
+1 == 1 #=> true
+1 != 1 #=> false
+1 < 2 #=> true
+
+# `===` and `!==` are more strict when comparing integers and floats:
+1 == 1.0 #=> true
+1 === 1.0 #=> false
+
+# We can also compare two different data types:
+1 < :hello #=> true
+
+# The overall sorting order is defined below:
+# number < atom < reference < functions < port < pid < tuple < list < bit string
+
+# To quote Joe Armstrong on this: "The actual order is not important,
+# but that a total ordering is well defined is important."
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Control Flow
+## ---------------------------
+
+# `if` expression
+if false do
+ "This will never be seen"
+else
+ "This will"
+end
+
+# There's also `unless`
+unless true do
+ "This will never be seen"
+else
+ "This will"
+end
+
+# Remember pattern matching? Many control-flow structures in elixir rely on it.
+
+# `case` allows us to compare a value against many patterns:
+case {:one, :two} do
+ {:four, :five} ->
+ "This won't match"
+ {:one, x} ->
+ "This will match and assign `x` to `:two`"
+ _ ->
+ "This will match any value"
+end
+
+# It's common practice to assign a value to `_` if we don't need it.
+# For example, if only the head of a list matters to us:
+[head | _] = [1,2,3]
+head #=> 1
+
+# For better readability we can do the following:
+[head | _tail] = [:a, :b, :c]
+head #=> :a
+
+# `cond` lets us check for many conditions at the same time.
+# Use `cond` instead of nesting many `if` expressions.
+cond do
+ 1 + 1 == 3 ->
+ "I will never be seen"
+ 2 * 5 == 12 ->
+ "Me neither"
+ 1 + 2 == 3 ->
+ "But I will"
+end
+
+# It is common to see a last condition equal to `true`, which will always match.
+cond do
+ 1 + 1 == 3 ->
+ "I will never be seen"
+ 2 * 5 == 12 ->
+ "Me neither"
+ true ->
+ "But I will (this is essentially an else)"
+end
+
+# `try/catch` is used to catch values that are thrown, it also supports an
+# `after` clause that is invoked whether or not a value is catched.
+try do
+ throw(:hello)
+catch
+ message -> "Got #{message}."
+after
+ IO.puts("I'm the after clause.")
+end
+#=> I'm the after clause
+# "Got :hello"
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Modules and Functions
+## ---------------------------
+
+# Anonymous functions (notice the dot)
+square = fn(x) -> x * x end
+square.(5) #=> 25
+
+# They also accept many clauses and guards.
+# Guards let you fine tune pattern matching,
+# they are indicated by the `when` keyword:
+f = fn
+ x, y when x > 0 -> x + y
+ x, y -> x * y
+end
+
+f.(1, 3) #=> 4
+f.(-1, 3) #=> -3
+
+# Elixir also provides many built-in functions.
+# These are available in the current scope.
+is_number(10) #=> true
+is_list("hello") #=> false
+elem({1,2,3}, 0) #=> 1
+
+# You can group several functions into a module. Inside a module use `def`
+# to define your functions.
+defmodule Math do
+ def sum(a, b) do
+ a + b
+ end
+
+ def square(x) do
+ x * x
+ end
+end
+
+Math.sum(1, 2) #=> 3
+Math.square(3) #=> 9
+
+# To compile our simple Math module save it as `math.ex` and use `elixirc`
+# in your terminal: elixirc math.ex
+
+# Inside a module we can define functions with `def` and private functions with `defp`.
+# A function defined with `def` is available to be invoked from other modules,
+# a private function can only be invoked locally.
+defmodule PrivateMath do
+ def sum(a, b) do
+ do_sum(a, b)
+ end
+
+ defp do_sum(a, b) do
+ a + b
+ end
+end
+
+PrivateMath.sum(1, 2) #=> 3
+# PrivateMath.do_sum(1, 2) #=> ** (UndefinedFunctionError)
+
+# Function declarations also support guards and multiple clauses:
+defmodule Geometry do
+ def area({:rectangle, w, h}) do
+ w * h
+ end
+
+ def area({:circle, r}) when is_number(r) do
+ 3.14 * r * r
+ end
+end
+
+Geometry.area({:rectangle, 2, 3}) #=> 6
+Geometry.area({:circle, 3}) #=> 28.25999999999999801048
+# Geometry.area({:circle, "not_a_number"})
+#=> ** (FunctionClauseError) no function clause matching in Geometry.area/1
+
+# Due to immutability, recursion is a big part of elixir
+defmodule Recursion do
+ def sum_list([head | tail], acc) do
+ sum_list(tail, acc + head)
+ end
+
+ def sum_list([], acc) do
+ acc
+ end
+end
+
+Recursion.sum_list([1,2,3], 0) #=> 6
+
+# Elixir modules support attributes, there are built-in attributes and you
+# may also add custom attributes.
+defmodule MyMod do
+ @moduledoc """
+ This is a built-in attribute on a example module.
+ """
+
+ @my_data 100 # This is a custom attribute.
+ IO.inspect(@my_data) #=> 100
+end
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Records and Exceptions
+## ---------------------------
+
+# Records are basically structures that allow you to associate a name with
+# a particular value.
+defrecord Person, name: nil, age: 0, height: 0
+
+joe_info = Person.new(name: "Joe", age: 30, height: 180)
+#=> Person[name: "Joe", age: 30, height: 180]
+
+# Access the value of name
+joe_info.name #=> "Joe"
+
+# Update the value of age
+joe_info = joe_info.age(31) #=> Person[name: "Joe", age: 31, height: 180]
+
+# The `try` block with the `rescue` keyword is used to handle exceptions
+try do
+ raise "some error"
+rescue
+ RuntimeError -> "rescued a runtime error"
+ _error -> "this will rescue any error"
+end
+
+# All exceptions have a message
+try do
+ raise "some error"
+rescue
+ x in [RuntimeError] ->
+ x.message
+end
+
+## ---------------------------
+## -- Concurrency
+## ---------------------------
+
+# Elixir relies on the actor model for concurrency. All we need to write
+# concurrent programs in elixir are three primitives: spawning processes,
+# sending messages and receiving messages.
+
+# To start a new process we use the `spawn` function, which takes a function
+# as argument.
+f = fn -> 2 * 2 end #=> #Function<erl_eval.20.80484245>
+spawn(f) #=> #PID<0.40.0>
+
+# `spawn` returns a pid (process identifier), you can use this pid to send
+# messages to the process. To do message passing we use the `<-` operator.
+# For all of this to be useful we need to be able to receive messages. This is
+# achived with the `receive` mechanism:
+defmodule Geometry do
+ def area_loop do
+ receive do
+ {:rectangle, w, h} ->
+ IO.puts("Area = #{w * h}")
+ area_loop()
+ {:circle, r} ->
+ IO.puts("Area = #{3.14 * r * r}")
+ area_loop()
+ end
+ end
+end
+
+# Compile the module and create a process that evaluates `area_loop` in the shell
+pid = spawn(fn -> Geometry.area_loop() end) #=> #PID<0.40.0>
+
+# Send a message to `pid` that will match a pattern in the receive statement
+pid <- {:rectangle, 2, 3}
+#=> Area = 6
+# {:rectangle,2,3}
+
+pid <- {:circle, 2}
+#=> Area = 12.56000000000000049738
+# {:circle,2}
+
+# The shell is also a process, you can use `self` to get the current pid
+self() #=> #PID<0.27.0>
+```
+
+## References
+
+* [Getting started guide](http://elixir-lang.org/getting_started/1.html) from [elixir webpage](http://elixir-lang.org)
+* [Elixir Documentation](http://elixir-lang.org/docs/master/)
+* ["Learn You Some Erlang for Great Good!"](http://learnyousomeerlang.com/) by Fred Hebert
+* "Programming Erlang: Software for a Concurrent World" by Joe Armstrong