Elixir Wizards

Creating the Igniter Code Generation Framework with Zach Daniel

Oct 17, 2024

52:55

To kick off Elixir Wizards Season 13, The Creator's Lab, we're joined by Zach Daniel, the creator of Igniter and the Ash framework. Zach joins hosts Owen Bickford and Charles Suggs to discuss the mechanics and aspirations of his latest brainchild, Igniter—a code generation and project patching framework designed to revolutionize the Elixir development experience.

Igniter isn’t just about generating code; it’s about generating smarter code. By leveraging tools like Sourcerer and Rewrite, Igniter allows developers to modify source code and batch updates by directly interacting with Elixir's AST instead of regex patching. This approach streamlines new project setup and package installations and enhances overall workflow.

They also discuss the strategic implications of Igniter for the broader Elixir community. Zach hopes Igniter will foster a more interconnected and efficient ecosystem that attracts new developers to Elixir and caters to the evolving needs of seasoned Elixir engineers.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Advanced package installation and code generation improve the developer experience
Scripting and staging techniques streamline project updates
Innovative methods for smoother installation processes in Elixir packages
High-level tools apply direct patches to source code
Progressive feature additions simplify the mix phx.new experience
Chaining installers and composing tasks for more efficient project setup
Continuous improvement in developer experiences to boost Elixir adoption
Encourage listeners to collaborate by sharing code generation patterns
Introduction of a new mix task aimed at removing the "unless" keyword in preparation for Elixir 1.18
You can learn more in the upcoming book "Building Web Applications with Ash Framework" by Zach and Rebecca