Web Development Frameworks: Elixir and Phoenix vs. Ruby on Rails with Owen Bickford & Dan Ivovich
Dec 7, 2023
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Elixir Wizards Owen Bickford and Dan Ivovich discuss web development with Elixir and Phoenix vs. Ruby on Rails, comparing history, project structure, programming paradigms, CRUD apps, LiveView vs. Turbolinks, and WebSocket usage. They also touch on testing frameworks and the benefits of knowledge in multiple frameworks.
Phoenix and Rails are both robust frameworks for building web apps, but Phoenix may have an edge for new projects based on its functional approach, built-in real-time features, and scalability.
The choice between Phoenix and Rails should be based on project requirements and team familiarity, but LiveView in Phoenix offers quick and easy UI testing without browser automation and with faster test execution.
Deep dives
Comparison of Phoenix with Elixir and Ruby on Rails
The hosts discuss the history of SmartLogic and compare the usage of Phoenix with Elixir and Ruby on Rails. They highlight the benefits of using Rails, such as its assumed reasonable defaults and low configuration, as well as the ease of building prototypes and quick development. They also mention the evolution of Rails and the enhancements that have made it a popular choice. On the other hand, they emphasize the advantages of Phoenix, including testability, live interaction, data processing, the functional approach, and the ability to handle distributed nature and networking. They suggest that the choice between Phoenix and Rails should be based on the project requirements and the team's familiarity and passion for the respective frameworks.
The Testing Capabilities of LiveView and Rails
The hosts discuss the testing capabilities of LiveView in Phoenix and Rails. They highlight the benefits of LiveViewTest in Phoenix, providing a quick and easy way to test UI functionality and integration in web applications without the need for browser automation. They express satisfaction with the ability to interact with buttons, retrieve dynamic HTML, and validate content through assert and refute methods within the same process, leading to faster test execution. While acknowledging the effectiveness of browser testing frameworks like Cucumber and Wallaby, they appreciate the simplicity and speed of LiveView tests for certain types of UI testing. They also mention the strong testing culture present in both Phoenix/Elixir and Rails communities.
Functional Programming and Object-Oriented Programming in Elixir and Ruby
The hosts compare functional programming in Elixir and object-oriented programming in Ruby. They discuss the benefits and approachability of object-oriented programming in Rails, highlighting its model-driven nature, active record for database modeling, and ease of building real-world applications. However, they note the challenges of managing side effects and complex callbacks in Rails. On the other hand, they appreciate the immutability and data pipelining in Elixir, which is advantageous for data-intensive CRUD-based web applications. They mention the benefits of pattern matching on structs and the advantages of Elixir's functional programming paradigm. They note the presence of strong testing cultures in both Elixir and Ruby communities.
Distribution and Dependencies in Phoenix and Rails
The hosts discuss the topics of distribution and dependencies in Phoenix and Rails. They mention that Rails tends to have longer dependencies lists compared to Phoenix due to historical reasons, whereas Phoenix and Elixir have tighter dependencies and a philosophy of using only what is necessary. They discuss the advantages of the standard libraries in both languages and note that Elixir's standard library provides a broad range of general-purpose functionality without requiring additional dependencies. They acknowledge that project requirements and team preferences are significant factors when deciding between using Phoenix or Rails.
On today’s episode, Elixir Wizards Owen Bickford and Dan Ivovich compare notes on building web applications with Elixir and the Phoenix Framework versus Ruby on Rails. They discuss the history of both frameworks, key differences in architecture and approach, and deciding which programming language to use when starting a project.
Both Phoenix and Rails are robust frameworks that enable developers to build high-quality web apps—Phoenix leverages functional programming in Elixir and Erlang’s networking for real-time communication. Rails follows object-oriented principles and has a vast ecosystem of plug-ins. For data-heavy CRUD apps, Phoenix's immutable data pipelines provide some advantages.
Developers can build great web apps with either Phoenix or Rails. Phoenix may have a slight edge for new projects based on its functional approach, built-in real-time features like LiveView, and ability to scale efficiently. But, choosing the right tech stack depends heavily on the app's specific requirements and the team's existing skills.
Topics discussed in this episode:
History and evolution of Phoenix Framework and Ruby on Rails
Default project structure and code organization preferences in each framework
Comparing object-oriented vs functional programming paradigms
CRUD app development and interaction with databases
Live reloading capabilities in Phoenix LiveView vs Rails Turbolinks
Leveraging WebSockets for real-time UI updates
Testing frameworks like RSpec, Cucumber, Wallaby, and Capybara
Dependency management and size of standard libraries
Scalability and distribution across nodes
Readability and approachability of object-oriented code
Immutability and data pipelines in functional programming
Types, specs, and static analysis with Dialyzer
Monkey patching in Ruby vs extensible core language in Elixir
Factors to consider when choosing between frameworks
Experience training new developers on Phoenix and Rails
Community influences on coding styles
Real-world project examples and refactoring approaches
