Elixir Programming: Things You Should Know
Published: 2021-09-10 05:34:19

Elixir is a young programming language that has progressed a lot in a short period of time. It has gained a lot of popularity since its release, and the feedback from the developers who have used/learned Elixir programming language remains positive. Even big companies such as Discord, PepsiCo, Pinterest, and Moz have employed Elixir in their major projects over the last few years.
 
Today, we will be talking about what Elixir is, and things you should know before you consider it for your next software development project. Read down below to find out all about it. 
 
## What is Elixir Programming Language?  

According to the official website of Elixir—Elixir is a dynamic language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications. Elixir leverages the Erlang VM, known for running low-latency, distributed and fault-tolerant systems, while also being successfully used in web development and the embedded software domain.  

Elixir first appeared in 2012. Since 2012, there have been 96 Elixir releases. The latest version; the most stable one (version 1.7.3) was released in August 2018. Despite it being a young programming language, Elixir shows good results in its repository.
 
Elixir was developed to be similar to Ruby programming language, also featuring all the powerful tools that Erlang offers, so that parallel and concurrent computation could be performed effectively. 

Other than this, Elixir also features tools that were important but were missing in Erlang. However, if you wish to have a better understanding of Elixir, it’s best that you devote some time to learning Erlang first. 

## Advantages of Elixir for Software Development  

There are many reasons why developers are switching to Elixir on their projects, however, there are also some downsides. Here are some of the most common reasons to choose Elixir programming language.  

### Concurrency  

When it comes to running different processes simultaneously while creating an app, concurrency matters a lot. Concurrent operations refer to the ones that can start, run and complete in overlapping time periods. Thanks to Elixir, even under extreme load, developers can handle multiple requests simultaneously without any delay. 

### Scalability 

One to the biggest benefit of elixir software development is that it is scalable. This also means that it can be used across multiple niches and industries. Since Elixir runs on Erlang Vm, it can be used to develop IoT apps scaled over different services, and other large-scale mobile apps. 

### Easy to Use  

One of the reasons so many developers opt to learn functional web development with Elixir is because it is very easy to read and write. Also, its immutable nature makes the refactoring and testing processes with the language hassle-free. Elixir Software Developers can alter the codes confidently without having to worry about causing further complications. 

### Functionality 

Elixir makes coding web solutions faster and easier. Elixir has no classes because it is a functional language, instead in its code you would find modules with module functions. Also, it is much simpler and less abstract as compared to Ruby. Overall, Elixir helps deliver a simpler solution when searching for ways to get things done.   
 
### Interactivity 

Tools such as IEx allow Elixir developers to use auto-complete, format reload, debug code and format their documentation. IEx is an interactive shell of Elixir. It also has the ability to set breakpoints on Elixir code and "pry" into running processes. 
 
### Active Community  

Though Elixir was released only a few years ago, the size of its active community is fairly large. Developers can easily ask questions, and share their knowledge. Other than this, there are also a lot of elixir programming language tutorials and guides available online that can help newbies, and even the experienced developers, increase their knowledge about Elixir web development. 
 
## Disadvantages of Elixir for Software Development 

Just like all other technologies, Elixir also comes with a couple of disadvantages.  Let's look at some of them. 

### Limited Job Market 

Since Elixir is a newer language, it has a limited number of job opportunities. Other than this the number of Elixir developers that get hired is even lower, which means that the demand for Elixir developers is also low.  This also makes it difficult for firms looking to hire Elixir developers because it takes a lot of time and effort. 

### Smaller Ecosystem and Community 

As compared to the popular programming languages Elixir has a limited number of libraries and tools available for developers. However, developments are being made for Elixir programming language frequently, hence it is expected that the technology will soon catch up with others. 
 
## What Projects Does Elixir Development Work Best For? 

Since Elixir programming language does not serve a particular niche, it can be used for different projects. Along with Phoenix framework Elixir language can be used to develop apps for multiple industries.  

You can hire Elixir developers for the development of apps of any level of complexity and set of features however, it is also essential to gauge whether or not Elixir is the best choice; both financially and strategically. Overall, it works best for the projects that need to have these characteristics: 

1. Low latency 
2. Concurrency 
3. Scalability 
4. Heavy traffic 
5. Fault tolerance 
6. Interactivity 
7. Distributed system (e.g. Blockchain projects) 
8. Real time applications (e.g VoIP apps, chatting apps, etc_ 
9. Embedded system (e.g. IoT projects)

## Takeaway 
 
Unlike a lot of programming languages that can take years to learn, Elixir is said to be the most fun-to-learn programming language out there. As mentioned above, Elixir has progressed a lot in such a short time, and its use and popularity are expected to further rise in the coming years. Looking to [Hire Elixir Developers](https://invozone.com/hire-elixir-developers/)? Visit different online platforms like Clutch, UpWork, Goodfirms etc and find the best developers according to your needs and requirements.