Onboarding JS Developers to Elixir and Phoenix: A Comprehensive Guide
Welcome to the team! As you transition from JavaScript to Elixir and Phoenix, we want to ensure you have the best resources and guidance available to set you up for success. Elixir and Phoenix might feel quite different from your typical JS frameworks, but the documentation is excellent, and the community is vibrant, making this transition smooth and exciting.
Step 1: Understanding the Basics of Elixir and Phoenix
Before diving into writing code, it’s crucial to understand the foundational concepts of both Elixir and Phoenix.
Elixir: This is the functional language that powers the Phoenix web framework. It's designed for concurrency, fault tolerance, and scalability. Check out the official Elixir docs to get started: Elixir Introduction.
Phoenix: Phoenix is a web framework built on top of Elixir. It's known for its performance and its ability to handle real-time communication. To begin with Phoenix, follow the guide here: Phoenix: Up and Running.
Step 2: Diving Deeper into Phoenix LiveView
Phoenix LiveView is one of the key features of Phoenix, enabling real-time, interactive UIs without the need for JavaScript. However, the tutorials and resources can sometimes be outdated, so we’ve found some reliable ones:
Introduction to Phoenix LiveView: Here’s a great series to help you understand how Phoenix LiveView works and how to build real-time UIs: Phoenix LiveView Series.
Videos: ElixirCasts and ElixirSchool are great video resources. While some videos require a paid plan, they are a valuable investment in your learning. You can start with ElixirSchool and ElixirCasts.
Book: A recommended read for deeper knowledge is Elixir in Action (Third Edition), which covers both the language and its ecosystem in detail. Find it here: Elixir in Action.
Step 3: Interactive Learning with Screencasts and Courses
If you’re more of a visual learner, there are several screencasts and courses available to speed up your learning.
ElixirCasts: A great collection of Elixir and Phoenix screencasts. Some are free, and there’s a paid plan for more advanced content.
Phoenix LiveView on ElixirCasts: If you’re keen on mastering Phoenix LiveView, this specific course will be immensely helpful.
Step 4: Tooling and Setup
As you begin working with Elixir and Phoenix, there are a few setup tasks and tools you should get familiar with:
Homebrew: Most of you are on macOS, and using Homebrew is highly recommended to manage packages. If you haven't yet, ensure Homebrew is installed.
ASDF: ASDF is a version manager that will allow you to manage different versions of Elixir and other tools. It’s a great tool for consistency across environments.
PostgreSQL: Elixir and Phoenix work well with relational databases, especially PostgreSQL. As you might know, Postgres is often favored in projects requiring high data integrity, such as ours. You should get comfortable working with PostgreSQL as we explore migrations and SQL queries.
Step 5: Practice by Building UI Components
Here’s a task to help you apply your learning:
Each of you should identify and work on a complex UI component. For instance, building a table component or custom date picker will allow you to explore both frontend and backend integration within Phoenix.
- UI Component Examples: Choose a UI component you’ve worked with before in JavaScript (e.g., a table component) and try to reimplement it using Phoenix LiveView.
Step 6: Interactive Preview and Design System
We also have a design system repository that you should get familiar with. To quickly preview the components being developed, you can run the HTML file in your browser. Make sure you understand how to integrate the components into the live preview environment.
Step 7: Getting Hands-On with Phoenix Generators
A good way to learn Phoenix is by using its powerful generators. The mix phx.gen.live command will create live views for you and generate all the necessary boilerplate code. This will help you understand how Phoenix structures its code and how it handles data.
- Learn how to use mix phx.gen.live here: Phoenix LiveView Generator. Review the code it generates and start customizing it.
Step 8: Collaborating and Asking Questions
While you work through these resources, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Working together as a team will help accelerate the learning process. Share your findings, help each other debug issues, and learn from each other's approaches.
A Few Questions to Consider:
What UI component do you find the most complex, particularly in terms of integrating JavaScript?
This will help us focus on areas where we can share knowledge or support each other.How can we integrate the design system with our Phoenix applications efficiently?
If you’re unclear on this, feel free to reach out for guidance.
Step 9: Documentation and Onboarding Process
We also need to document our onboarding process, both for ourselves and for future team members. This ensures consistency and helps onboard others more quickly.
In Conclusion
Starting with Elixir and Phoenix is an exciting challenge, but with the right resources and a proactive approach, you’ll quickly find yourself at ease with the ecosystem. Explore the resources shared here, try out the tasks, and ask questions along the way. The journey to becoming proficient in Elixir and Phoenix is a rewarding one, and we’re excited to have you all on board!
Good luck, and let’s build something amazing together!