Unlocking Elixir: Hot Code Loading for Agile Development

Host

Welcome back to the podcast, everyone! Today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of software development, specifically how we can leverage Elixir's powerful hot code loading capabilities to enhance our applications. Joining me is Lucas Sifoni, the founder of the startup Alzo. Lucas, thank you for being here!

Expert

Thanks for having me! I'm excited to share how we've been using Elixir to modularize our monolithic app.

Host

Absolutely! So, for our listeners who might not be familiar, could you give us a brief overview of what hot code loading is?

Expert

Sure! Hot code loading is a feature of the Erlang VM, known as BEAM, that allows you to load new code into a running application without needing to stop it. This means you can update your app in real-time, which is especially useful for maintaining uptime.

Host

That sounds incredibly powerful! How does this relate to your work at Alzo?

Expert

Well, at Alzo, we have a monolithic application that we deploy with one instance per client. The hot code loading capability allows us to build client-specific features seamlessly, without the overhead of managing separate microservices.

Host

Interesting! So, you mentioned avoiding a microservices-like situation. Can you elaborate on that?

Expert

Of course! In a microservices architecture, you often deal with complex interactions between services, which can lead to cascading failures. With hot code loading in our monolithic app, we can create specific features for each client while maintaining a coherent codebase. This reduces the risk of failure and simplifies testing.

Host

That’s a great point. Now, I understand that the client-specific apps you build are primarily live multiplayer document editors. Can you explain how those work?

Expert

Sure! Each client-specific app is built on top of Alzo's generic primitives. They leverage the same underlying system but can implement unique behaviors. For example, each app resides in a designated directory, and their entry point follows a specific naming convention. This organization makes it easy to manage them during development.

Host

What an efficient way to manage different features! You mentioned they implement a behavior called DynamicApp. What does that entail?

Expert

The DynamicApp behavior allows us to dynamically route to these client-specific apps in a development environment. It ensures that when a client opens their app, we can mount the correct LiveComponent based on the URL they provide, and it also keeps things organized and easy to update.

Host

Fascinating! So, what are some practical advantages you've noticed in your development process using this approach?

Expert

One major advantage is agility. We can quickly adapt to client requests without worrying about significant refactoring or downtime. Plus, because we’re not managing multiple separate services, our testing and deployment processes are simplified.

Host

That’s fantastic to hear! Before we wrap up, what advice would you give to developers considering using Elixir and its hot code loading feature?

Expert

I’d say start small and experiment! Elixir is approachable, and the community is incredibly supportive. Play around with hot code loading, and you’ll quickly see how it can streamline your development process.

Host

Great advice, Lucas! Thank you so much for sharing your insights today. I'm sure our listeners found it as enlightening as I did!

Expert

Thank you for having me! It was a pleasure to discuss these concepts with you.

Host

And thank you to our listeners for tuning in! Be sure to join us next time as we explore more exciting topics in tech.