Elixir Mentor

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Chris McCord, creator of Phoenix Framework and LiveView. We dive deep into Phoenix 1.8's groundbreaking AI features, including the revolutionary AGENTS.md file that's transforming how developers work with LLMs in their Elixir applications.Chris shares the fascinating evolution from Phoenix channels to LiveView, explaining how his early experiments with real-time Rails applications led to creating the framework that powers some of today's most ambitious web applications. We explore Phoenix.new, the browser-based development platform that lets anyone build Elixir apps without installing anything locally, and discuss how Tidewave MCP brings intelligent AI assistance directly into your development workflow.Our conversation reveals why Elixir's concurrency model and OTP primitives make it the perfect platform for building AI agents, with Chris explaining how gen servers naturally solve the complex state management and routing problems that other ecosystems struggle with. He provides valuable insights on using LLMs effectively in development, from avoiding common pitfalls to leveraging AI for code porting and debugging.The episode concludes with Chris's thoughts on open source sustainability, the importance of community culture, and practical advice for developers looking to level up their skills with AI-assisted development. This conversation offers essential perspective for anyone working with Elixir or considering how AI will shape the future of software development.Resources Mentioned:- Phoenix Framework: https://phoenixframework.org/- Metaprogramming Elixir book- Phoenix.new - Browser-based development platform- Tidewave MCP - Local AI development integrationConnect with Chris:- Website: https://chrismccord.com/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mccord-98b47a37/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Adam Kirk, CTO and co-founder of Jump, where they're building AI-powered meeting intelligence for financial advisors. We dive deep into scaling Elixir applications, managing LiveView at thousands of concurrent connections, and building high-performance teams in competitive markets.Adam shares his fascinating journey from PHP and Rails to Elixir, explaining how Jump pivoted from sales automation to financial advisor tools and found explosive product-market fit. We explore the technical challenges of real-time meeting processing, AI cost optimization, and the unique compliance requirements of the financial sector.Our conversation covers Jump's innovative hiring philosophy, including their distinctive approach of 30-minute coding assessments followed by paid trial weeks. Adam explains how they've successfully hired 40+ engineers, many learning Elixir on the job, while maintaining a strong culture of full-stack ownership and work-life balance.We also discuss practical aspects of scaling with LiveView, handling WebSocket reconnections gracefully, and why they chose Oban over traditional GenServer patterns in their Kubernetes environment. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone building AI-powered applications, scaling engineering teams, or navigating the challenges of startup growth.Resources Mentioned:- Jump: https://jumpapp.com/- Jump Careers: https://careers.jumpapp.com/- Adam on X: https://x.com/atomkirkSUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com- Recruitment Services: https://elixirmentor.com/?utm_source=elixir-mentor

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I sit down with Mike Hostetler, creator of Jido, a powerful framework for building autonomous AI agent systems in Elixir. We explore why Elixir's actor model and OTP make it the ideal platform for creating massive agent swarms.Mike shares his vision of "10,000 agents per human" and explains how Jido's architecture leverages Elixir's strengths to build scalable, distributed agent systems. We dive deep into the framework's core components including actions (atomic units of work), signals (messaging backbone), and how agents can spawn sub-agents in supervision trees. The conversation covers practical applications, from Discord bots to job board automation.Our discussion reveals fascinating insights about the future of software development, where traditional coding languages may need to evolve for the agent-driven world. Mike explains his design philosophy of keeping LLMs separate from the core framework, allowing for both AI-powered and traditional NPC-style agents to coexist efficiently.This episode provides valuable perspective for developers interested in building autonomous systems, understanding distributed architecture, and preparing for the next evolution in software development where agents become integral to our development workflow.**Resources Mentioned:**- Jido Framework: https://github.com/agentjido- Agent Jido: https://agentjido.xyz- Mike's Website: https://mike-hostetler.com/**Connect with Mike:**- X/Twitter: @mikehostetlerSUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

Zach Daniel, the innovative creator of the Ash Framework, joins the discussion to shed light on integrating AI in software development. He delves into 'vibe coding', a fun and creative coding approach, and shares insights on harnessing LLM workflows for effective coding strategies. Zach also touches on the challenges of scaling open source communities, the balance between AI productivity and code integrity, and the future of solo entrepreneurship. This captivating conversation is packed with valuable tips for developers looking to elevate their projects with AI.

Greg Medland, a seasoned recruiter in the Elixir ecosystem, shares insights into the evolving job market for Elixir developers. He discusses the demand for skills like Ash Framework and React, and highlights how major companies are leveraging Elixir. The impact of AI on developer roles is examined, emphasizing productivity rather than replacement. Greg also provides resume and interview tips, focusing on standing out in a competitive landscape. His wealth of experience offers actionable advice for developers at all levels.

In this engaging discussion, Brian Cardarella, CEO of DockYard, shares his expertise on Elixir adoption. He highlights the shifting landscape of tech communities and the challenges newcomers face, particularly with OTP. Brian dives into the role of AI in programming choices, and explores the economic realities affecting tech firms. He also offers practical strategies for overcoming resistance to adopting Elixir, while tackling community engagement and the importance of innovative documentation. Get ready for invaluable insights tailored for developers and tech leaders alike!

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I sit down with Henry Saint-Juste, Solutions Architect at NetJets, to explore his philosophy of rapid prototyping and moving fast to validate ideas before committing to tech stacks. Henry shares his unique approach to staying 2-3 sprints ahead of engineering teams and building proof of concepts that drive real business decisions.We dive deep into Henry's experience building NetJets' mobile application using a "code once, deploy anywhere" strategy with React Native and Expo. Henry explains how he evaluates cross-platform frameworks and why React Native succeeded where other solutions like Flutter and Cordova fell short. Our conversation covers his methodology for rapid prototyping, platform engineering approaches, and the importance of getting user feedback loops as quickly as possible.Henry also shares his experience working with Elixir at a previous healthcare startup, his thoughts on automation and "speed of thought" development, and some fascinating insights about his unique perks working at NetJets (hint: private jets are involved). We explore modern deployment strategies, the evolving landscape of DevOps tools, and wrap up with predictions about AI's impact on software engineering teams.This conversation offers valuable insights for anyone interested in rapid prototyping methodologies, cross-platform mobile development, and building MVPs that actually provide meaningful data for product decisions.Connect with Henry:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hberson/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I talk with Elliott Clark, former engineer at both Facebook and Microsoft, who now runs Batteries Included. Elliott shares his rich background from working on the .NET team at Microsoft and infrastructure and developer efficiency at Facebook to creating a platform that simplifies cloud deployment for developers of all sizes.Elliott explains how his experience at tech giants shaped his vision for Batteries Included, particularly the pain points he observed while at Facebook's developer efficiency team where he saw firsthand how complex configurations led to outages. He discusses why he chose Elixir and LiveView for his platform, highlighting how the unified language environment allows backend developers to build cohesive UIs without the traditional frontend/backend divide.We explore how Batteries Included automates complex infrastructure tasks like setting up Kubernetes, Postgres databases, Redis, and monitoring tools with just a few clicks. Elliott also shares insights on their "Robin Hood" business model—keeping the platform free for smaller developers while charging larger enterprises, a philosophy informed by his time with open-source projects at multiple companies.Our conversation dives into technical territory with discussions on managing large Elixir codebases (approaching 300,000 lines of code), challenges of umbrella projects, and the testing philosophies that help maintain quality. Elliott brings valuable perspectives from his work on large-scale systems at Facebook and Microsoft, offering insights on preventing regressions and building resilient infrastructure.Whether you're interested in Elixir, deployment infrastructure, or the challenges of building developer tools, this episode offers valuable insights from someone who has worked at both tech giants and startups. Elliott's practical approach to solving deployment pain points demonstrates how developers can build tools that truly make a difference in the development workflow.Resources Mentioned:- Batteries Included: https://batteriesincl.com- GitHub: https://github.com/batteries-includedSUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Kimberly Erni, a software developer who has found balance through contract-based work. We explore the often-overlooked topic of burnout in the tech industry, where "grind culture" is normalized but comes with significant personal costs.Kimberly shares her personal journey, including how taking a break from full-time work helped her overcome infertility struggles. We discuss the challenges of working in startups with constantly shifting priorities, unrealistic deadlines, and the pressure to always be "on." Both of us open up about our own experiences with burnout and the importance of creating boundaries, especially in remote work environments.The conversation covers practical advice for developers considering alternative career paths, including how to transition to contract work, the benefits of building products incrementally, and choosing technologies that maximize productivity while minimizing maintenance overhead. Kimberly also discusses her plans to develop a crochet pattern app, which leads to an insightful discussion about building sustainable side businesses.This episode provides valuable perspective for anyone feeling overwhelmed in their tech career or looking to create a more flexible work arrangement that accommodates personal priorities. Whether you're dealing with burnout, considering contract work, or building your own product, Kimberly's story offers both inspiration and practical guidance.Resources Mentioned:- Healthy Gamer video on burnout: https://youtu.be/XW-02QiiHDM?si=d7LeRrHTJjrpPsnPConnect with Kimberly:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-erni/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

Tristan Kildaire, a systems programmer and creator of his own programming language, dives into the exciting world of LoRa radio technology and Reticulum mesh networking. He discusses how Elixir can transform IoT development, emphasizing reliability and ease of debugging. Tristan shares insights on practical applications like smart metering and home automation, while also exploring AI-assisted programming and the fun concept of 'vibe coding.' Listeners will find plenty to inspire their own tech projects!