PHOENIX
FOR RAILS DEVS
Conferencia Rails
Madrid
15/10/2016

If you're having talk problems,
I feel bad for you, son.
I got 61 problems, but a slide
ain't one; hit me!

About me:
Javier Cuevas
@javier_dev
RUBY ON RAILS SHOP
WHO EMBRACED ELIXIR
AIRBNB FOR DOGS
“MAJESTIC” RAILS 3.2 MONOLITH

GUESTS
OF THE DAY

José Valim
Former Rails Core Team member.
He was trying to make Rails really thread
safe but... ended up creating a new
programming language (Elixir). Oops!
PerformanceProductivity

Chris McCord
Author of render_sync a Ruby gem to
have real-time partials in Rails (before
ActionCable).
It got complicated and... he ended up
creating a new web framework
(Phoenix). Oops!

WHAT IS
ELIXIR?

Elixir is a dynamic, functional language
designed for building scalable and
maintainable applications.
Elixir leverages the Erlang VM, known for
running low-latency, distributed and
fault-tolerant systems.

WHAT IS
PHOENIX?

Phoenix is a productive web framework
for Elixir that does not compromise speed
and maintainability.

PHOENIX = PRODUCTIVITY + PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

I don’t care about performance.
* that much

PRODUCTIVITY
SHORT
TERM
LONG
TERM

SHORT TERM
PRODUCTIVITY

The Phoenix Backpack
• Mix (generators, tasks, etc.)
• Erlang libraries + Hex.pm
• ES6 out of the box
• Live reload
• Nice error pages
• Concurrent test tools +
DocTests
• Great docs (for real)
• Channels + Presence
• OTP: humongous set of
libraries for distributed
computing
• Erlang observer
• ....

Remember the “15 min blog” by DHH?
That was productivity!
Let’s try build the “15 min real time Twitter”
(or something close to).

https://github.com/javiercr/conferencia_ror_demo

LET’S
GET STARTED

rails new twitter_demo mix phoenix.new twitter_demo

!"" twitter_demo
#"" app
$ #"" assets
$ #"" channels
$ #"" controllers
$ #"" helpers
$ #"" jobs
$ #"" mailers
$ #"" models
$ !"" views
#"" bin
#"" config
#"" db
#"" lib
#"" log
#"" public
#"" test
#"" tmp
!"" vendor
!"" twitter_demo
#"" config
#"" deps
#"" lib
#"" node_modules
#"" priv
#"" test
!"" web
#"" channels
#"" controllers
#"" models
#"" static
#"" templates
!"" views

$ cd twitter_demo
$ bundle install
$ rake db:create
$ rails server
$ cd twitter_demo
$ mix deps.get && npm install
$ mix ecto.create
$ mix phoenix.server

ROUTES

# /web/router.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.Router do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :router
pipeline :browser do
plug :accepts, ["html"]
plug :fetch_session
plug :fetch_flash
plug :protect_from_forgery
plug :put_secure_browser_headers
end
pipeline :api do
plug :accepts, ["json"]
end
scope "/", TwitterDemo do
pipe_through :browser # Use the default browser stack
get "/", PageController, :index
get "/timeline", PageController, :timeline
end
# Other scopes may use custom stacks.
# scope "/api", TwitterDemo do
# pipe_through :api
# end
end
# /config/routes.rb
Rails.application.routes.draw do
root 'page#index'
get '/timeline' => 'page#timeline'
end

# /web/router.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.Router do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :router
pipeline :browser do
plug :accepts, ["html"]
plug :fetch_session
plug :fetch_flash
plug :protect_from_forgery
plug :put_secure_browser_headers
end
pipeline :api do
plug :accepts, ["json"]
end
scope "/", TwitterDemo do
pipe_through :browser # Use the default browser stack
get "/", PageController, :index
get "/timeline", PageController, :timeline
end
# Other scopes may use custom stacks.
# scope "/api", TwitterDemo do
# pipe_through :api
# end
end
# /config/routes.rb
Rails.application.routes.draw do
root 'page#index'
get '/timeline' => 'page#timeline'
end

Plug
It’s an Elixir library that tries to solve the same problem than
Rack does for Ruby.
A plug is a function or module which always receives and returns
a connection, doing some data transformations in the middle.
When we compose multiple plugs we form a pipeline.

CONTROLLER

# /web/router.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.Router do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :router
pipeline :browser do
plug :accepts, ["html"]
plug :fetch_session
plug :fetch_flash
plug :protect_from_forgery
plug :put_secure_browser_headers
end
pipeline :api do
plug :accepts, ["json"]
end
scope "/", TwitterDemo do
pipe_through :browser # Use the default browser stack
get "/", PageController, :index
get "/timeline", PageController, :timeline
end
# Other scopes may use custom stacks.
# scope "/api", TwitterDemo do
# pipe_through :api
# end
end
$ rails g controller Page index timeline

# /app/controllers/page_controller.rb
class PageController < ApplicationController
def index
end
def timeline
end
end
# /web/controllers/page_controller.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.PageController do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :controller
def index(conn, _params) do
render conn, "index.html"
end
def timeline(conn, params) do
conn
|> assign(:nickname, params["nickname"])
|> render("timeline.html")
end
end

# /app/controllers/page_controller.rb
class PageController < ApplicationController
def index
end
def timeline
end
end
# /web/controllers/page_controller.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.PageController do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :controller
def index(conn, _params) do
render conn, "index.html"
end
def timeline(conn, params) do
conn
|> assign(:nickname, params["nickname"])
|> render("timeline.html")
end
end

Typical code in OOP / imperative programming:
people = DB.find_customers
orders = Orders.for_customers(people)
tax = sales_tax(orders, 2013)
filing = prepare_filing(tax)
We could rewrite it as...
filing = prepare_filing(
sales_tax(Orders.for_customers(
DB.find_customers), 2013))
Pipe Operator |>

Pipe Operator |>
With Elixir pipe operator we can do just
filing = DB.find_customers
|> Orders.for_customers
|> sales_tax(2013)
|> prepare_filing
“|>” passes the result from the left expression as
the first argument to the right expression. Kinda
like the Unix pipe “|”. It’s just useful syntax sugar.

VIEWS /
TEMPLATES

<!-- /app/views/page/index.html.erb -->
<h1>Welcome to TwitterDemo!</h1>
<%= form_tag timeline_path, method: "get" do %>
<label for="nickname">Nickname</label>:
<input type="text" name="nickname"></input>
<button>Connect!</button>
<% end %>
<!-- /web/templates/page/index.html.eex -->
<h1>Welcome to TwitterDemo!</h1>
<%= form_tag(page_path(@conn, :timeline), method: "get") do %>
<label for="nickname">Nickname</label>:
<input type="text" name="nickname"></input>
<button>Connect!</button>
<% end %>

<!-- /app/views/page/timeline.html.erb -->
<script>window.nickname = "<%= @nickname %>";</script>
<div id="messages"></div>
<input id="chat-input" type="text"></input>
<!-- /web/templates/page/timeline.html.eex -->
<script>window.nickname = "<%= @nickname %>";</script>
<div id="messages"></div>
<input id="chat-input" type="text"></input>

MODEL

$ rails g model Message author:string
content:text
$ rake db:migrate
$ mix phoenix.gen.model Message messages
author:string content:text
$ mix ecto.create && mix ecto.migrate

# /web/models/message.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.Message do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :model
@derive {Poison.Encoder, only: [:author, :content, :inserted_at]}
schema "messages" do
field :author, :string
field :content, :string
timestamps()
end
@doc """
Builds a changeset based on the `struct` and `params`.
"""
def changeset(struct, params %{}) do
struct
|> cast(params, [:author, :content])
|> validate_required([:author, :content])
end
end
# /app/models/message.rb
class Message < ApplicationRecord
validates_presence_of :author, :content
end

# /web/models/message.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.Message do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :model
@derive {Poison.Encoder, only: [:author, :content, :inserted_at]}
schema "messages" do
field :author, :string
field :content, :string
timestamps()
end
@doc """
Builds a changeset based on the `struct` and `params`.
"""
def changeset(struct, params %{}) do
struct
|> cast(params, [:author, :content])
|> validate_required([:author, :content])
end
end
# /app/models/message.rb
class Message < ApplicationRecord
validates_presence_of :author, :content
end

Ecto
You could think about Ecto as “the ActiveRecord of Elixir”.
But better don’t. It’s not even an ORM (in its purest definition).
It’s a database wrapper and it’s main target it’s PostgreSQL.
Other database are supported too.
Main concepts behind Ecto are:
Schemas: each Model defines a struct with its schema.
Changesets: define a pipeline of transformations (casting, validation &
filtering) over our data before it hits the database.

CHANNEL

$ rails g channel Timeline new_msg $ mix phoenix.gen.channel Timeline

# /app/channels/timeline_channel.rb
# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
Action Cable runs in a loop that does not support auto
reloading.
class TimelineChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
def subscribed
@nickname = params[:nickname]
stream_from "timeline"
end
def unsubscribed
# Any cleanup needed when channel is unsubscribed
end
def new_msg(payload)
# Careful with creating the record here
# http://www.akitaonrails.com/2015/12/28/fixing-dhh-s-
rails-5-chat-demo
message = Message.create!(content: payload['content'],
author: @nickname)
# DHH suggests doing this in a background job instead, I’m
not sure why?
ActionCable.server.broadcast 'timeline', message: message
end
end
$ mix phoenix.gen.channel Timeline

# /web/channels/user_socket.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.UserSocket do
use Phoenix.Socket
## Channels
channel "timeline:lobby", TwitterDemo.TimelineChannel
## Transports
transport :websocket, Phoenix.Transports.WebSocket
# transport :longpoll, Phoenix.Transports.LongPoll
# Socket params are passed from the client and can
# be used to verify and authenticate a user. After
# verification, you can put default assigns into
# the socket that will be set for all channels, ie
#
# {:ok, assign(socket, :user_id, verified_user_id)}
#
# To deny connection, return `:error`.
#
# ...
def connect(params, socket) do
{:ok, assign(socket, :nickname, params["nickname"])}
end
# ....
def id(_socket), do: nil
end
# /app/channels/timeline_channel.rb
# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
Action Cable runs in a loop that does not support auto
reloading.
class TimelineChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
def subscribed
@nickname = params[:nickname]
stream_from "timeline"
end
def unsubscribed
# Any cleanup needed when channel is unsubscribed
end
def new_msg(payload)
# Careful with creating the record here
# http://www.akitaonrails.com/2015/12/28/fixing-dhh-s-
rails-5-chat-demo
message = Message.create!(content: payload['content'],
author: @nickname)
# DHH suggests doing this in a background job instead
ActionCable.server.broadcast 'timeline', message: message
end
end

# /web/channels/timeline_channel.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.TimelineChannel do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :channel
alias TwitterDemo.Message
def join("timeline:lobby", payload, socket) do
# Add authorization logic here as required.
{:ok, socket}
end
def handle_in("new_msg", %{"content" => content,}, socket) do
changeset = Message.changeset(%Message{}, %{
content: content,
author: socket.assigns.nickname
})
case Repo.insert(changeset) do
{:ok, message} ->
broadcast! socket, "new_msg", %{message: message}
{:noreply, socket}
{:error, _changeset} ->
{:reply, {:error, %{error: "Error saving the message"}},
socket}
end
end
def handle_out("new_msg", payload, socket) do
push socket, "new_msg", payload
{:noreply, socket}
end
end
# /app/channels/timeline_channel.rb
# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
Action Cable runs in a loop that does not support auto
reloading.
class TimelineChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
def subscribed
@nickname = params[:nickname]
stream_from "timeline"
end
def unsubscribed
# Any cleanup needed when channel is unsubscribed
end
def new_msg(payload)
# Careful with creating the record here
# http://www.akitaonrails.com/2015/12/28/fixing-dhh-s-
rails-5-chat-demo
message = Message.create!(content: payload['content'],
author: @nickname)
# DHH suggests doing this in a background job instead
ActionCable.server.broadcast 'timeline', message: message
end
end

# /web/channels/timeline_channel.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.TimelineChannel do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :channel
alias TwitterDemo.Message
def join("timeline:lobby", payload, socket) do
# Add authorization logic here as required.
{:ok, socket}
end
def handle_in("new_msg", %{"content" => content,}, socket) do
changeset = Message.changeset(%Message{}, %{
content: content,
author: socket.assigns.nickname
})
case Repo.insert(changeset) do
{:ok, message} ->
broadcast! socket, "new_msg", %{message: message}
{:noreply, socket}
{:error, _changeset} ->
{:reply, {:error, %{error: "Error saving the message"}},
socket}
end
end
def handle_out("new_msg", payload, socket) do
push socket, "new_msg", payload
{:noreply, socket}
end
end
# /app/channels/timeline_channel.rb
# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
Action Cable runs in a loop that does not support auto
reloading.
class TimelineChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
def subscribed
@nickname = params[:nickname]
stream_from "timeline"
end
def unsubscribed
# Any cleanup needed when channel is unsubscribed
end
def new_msg(payload)
# Careful with creating the record here
# http://www.akitaonrails.com/2015/12/28/fixing-dhh-s-
rails-5-chat-demo
message = Message.create!(content: payload['content'],
author: @nickname)
# DHH suggests doing this in a background job instead
ActionCable.server.broadcast 'timeline', message: message
end
end

Pattern Matching
In Elixir: a = 1 does not mean we are assigning 1 to the variable a.
Instead of assigning a variable, in Elixir we talk about binding a variable .
The equal signs means we are asserting that the left hand side (LHS) is
equal to the right one (RHS). It’s like basic algebra.
iex> a = 1
1
iex> 1 = a
1
iex> [1, a, 3] = [1, 2, 3]
[1, 2, 3]
iex> a
2

Pattern Matching
Function signatures use pattern matching.
Therefore we can have more than one signature.
defmodule Factorial do
def of(0), do: 1
def of(x), do: x * of(x-1)
end
look mum! programming without if - else

# /web/channels/timeline_channel.ex
defmodule TwitterDemo.TimelineChannel do
use TwitterDemo.Web, :channel
alias TwitterDemo.Message
def join("timeline:lobby", payload, socket) do
# Add authorization logic here as required.
{:ok, socket}
end
def handle_in("new_msg", %{"content" => content,}, socket) do
changeset = Message.changeset(%Message{}, %{
content: content,
author: socket.assigns.nickname
})
case Repo.insert(changeset) do
{:ok, message} ->
broadcast! socket, "new_msg", %{message: message}
{:noreply, socket}
{:error, _changeset} ->
{:reply, {:error, %{error: "Error saving the message"}},
socket}
end
end
def handle_out("new_msg", payload, socket) do
push socket, "new_msg", payload
{:noreply, socket}
end
end
# /app/channels/timeline_channel.rb
# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
Action Cable runs in a loop that does not support auto
reloading.
class TimelineChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
def subscribed
@nickname = params[:nickname]
stream_from "timeline"
end
def unsubscribed
# Any cleanup needed when channel is unsubscribed
end
def new_msg(payload)
# Careful with creating the record here
# http://www.akitaonrails.com/2015/12/28/fixing-dhh-s-
rails-5-chat-demo
message = Message.create!(content: payload['content'],
author: @nickname)
# DHH suggests doing this in a background job instead
ActionCable.server.broadcast 'timeline', message: message
end
end
Jose, Don’t forget to
mention OTP!

JAVASCRIPT

# /app/assets/javascripts/channels/timeline.coffee
App.timeline = App.cable.subscriptions.create {channel:
"TimelineChannel", nickname: window.nickname},
connected: ->
# Called when the subscription is ready for use on the
server
chatInput = document.querySelector("#chat-input")
chatInput.addEventListener "keypress", (event) =>
if event.keyCode == 13
@new_msg chatInput.value
chatInput.value = ""
received: (payload) ->
@_renderdMessage(payload.message)
new_msg: (message) ->
@perform 'new_msg', {content: message}
_renderdMessage: (message) ->
# [...]
messagesContainer.appendChild(messageItem)
// /web/static/js/socket.js
import {Socket} from "phoenix"
let socket = new Socket("/socket", {
params: { token: window.userToken, nickname:
window.nickname }})
socket.connect()
let channel = socket.channel("timeline:lobby", {})
let chatInput = document.querySelector("#chat-input")
let renderMessage = (message) => {
// [...]
messagesContainer.appendChild(messageItem)
}
chatInput.addEventListener("keypress", event => {
if(event.keyCode === 13){
channel.push("new_msg", {content: chatInput.value})
chatInput.value = ""
}
})
channel.on("new_msg", payload => {
renderMessage(payload.message)
})
channel.join()
export default socket

HOMEWORK
(for you)

1. Send history of messages when connecting to
channel.
2. Add Presence module (to display who is online).
3. Create a startup with this, become a unicorn
and profit!
* Only 1. & 2. are solved here
https://github.com/diacode/talkex/tree/feature/message-db-persistence
hint: it takes 10 minutes with phoenix v1.2

tl;dr
$ rails new my_project $ mix phoenix.new my_project
$ rails g [x] $ mix phoenix.gen.[x]
$ bundle install $ mix deps.get
$ rake db:migrate $ mix ecto.migrate
$ rails server $ mix phoenix.server
$ rails console $ iex -S mix
bundle + rake Mix
RubyGems Hex.pm
Rack Plug
Minitest / RSpec ExUnit
ActiveRecord Ecto
ActionCable Channels + Presence
sprockets Brunch (npm based)
Redis / Sidekiq / Resque OTP

LONG TERM
PRODUCTIVY

EXPLICIT > IMPLICIT
or at least some reasonable balance

“Functional Programming is about
making the complex parts of your
program explicit”
– José Valim

Next steps (for you)
• Watch every talk by José Valim & Chris McCord
Really, you won’t regret.
• Books:
Programming Elixir – Dave Thomas
Programming Phoenix – Chris McCord, Bruce Tate & José Valim.
• Elixir Getting Started Guide (really good!)
http://elixir-lang.org/getting-started/introduction.html
• Phoenix Guide (really good!)
http://www.phoenixframework.org/docs/overview
• Elixir Radar (newsletter)
http://plataformatec.com.br/elixir-radar
• Madrid |> Elixir MeetUp
http://www.meetup.com/es-ES/Madrid-Elixir/

THANK YOU
Questions?
Special thanks go to Diacode’s former team:
Victor Viruete, Ricardo García, Artur Chruszcz & Bruno Bayón
<3
[ now you can blink again ]