Discover how recent updates make Elixir's protocol errors more readable, enhancing the developer experience. Dive into OTP 28's raw mode, revolutionizing real-time input for interactive CLI applications. Explore Saša Jurić's insights on creating a bespoke Kafka client, tackling challenges with existing libraries. Learn about a new mini-site showcasing Elixir events and the exciting advancements in LiveView, including the Motion.dev wrapper for animations. Plus, get a sneak peek into the upcoming Elixir Conf EU!
Dave Lucia's PR improves the readability of Elixir's protocol error messages, encouraging community contributions to enhance developer experiences.
OTP 28 introduces Raw Mode for immediate CLI input processing, enabling developers to create more responsive interactive applications.
Deep dives
Enhancing Protocol Error Messages
A recent pull request by Dave Lucia addresses the common frustration with the 'protocol undefined' error message in Elixir, which often appears convoluted when dealing with large or nested structs. The initiative arose during a conversation where a colleague lamented the poor readability of these error messages, prompting the team to take action and improve them. This highlights a proactive approach in the development community, encouraging others to address challenges rather than just voice complaints. While the changes enhance legibility, they do come with a trade-off, as logging will now appear on multiple lines, which may complicate log parsing for some users.
Introducing Raw Mode in OTP 28
The upcoming OTP 28 version introduces a significant feature called Raw Mode in the Erlang interactive shell, allowing for more efficient input handling. Traditionally, user inputs were only processed after a new line character was received, but Raw Mode allows immediate processing, enabling interactive applications to simulate real-time typing experiences. This feature is particularly beneficial for terminal UI applications, such as chat interfaces, where immediate feedback is crucial. A practical example includes a demo application that showcases how this feature enhances user interaction, allowing developers to create more dynamic applications.
Innovative Kafka Client Development
Sasha Yurik's presentation at CodeBeam America outlines the development of a custom Kafka client because existing libraries did not meet the team's specific needs. Instead of building from scratch or modifying existing libraries, the innovative solution involved leveraging a Java client through Erlang ports, thus ensuring compatibility with new Kafka features. This approach encourages listeners to think creatively when traditional solutions fall short, promoting a mindset of exploring alternative integrations. The talk emphasizes the potential of using existing technology in unconventional ways, enriching the Elixir ecosystem.
News includes Dave Lucia's PR making Elixir's protocol errors more readable, OTP 28 introducing a "raw mode" for immediate CLI input processing, Saša Jurić's "Against the Grain" talk on YouTube about a bespoke Kafka client, Johanna Larsson's new site listing Elixir events, DockYard's official acceptance of native application contracts highlighting the readiness of their LiveView Native library, and Brian Cardarella's teased Motion.dev wrapper enhancing animations in LiveView, and more!