The Elixir Style Guide

Prelude
The Guide
- Source Code Layout
- Syntax
- Naming
- Comments
  - Comment Annotations
- Modules
- Documentation
- Typespecs
- Exceptions
- Collections
- Strings
- Regular Expressions
- Metaprogramming
- Suggested Alternatives
- Tools
Getting Involved
- Contributing
- Spread the Word
Copying
- License
- Attribution

Prelude

Liquid architecture. It's like jazz — you improvise, you work together, you play off each other, you make something, they make something.
—Frank Gehry

Style matters. Elixir has plenty of style but like all languages it can be stifled. Don't stifle the style.

NOTE: When you submit a PR and it gets merged, you will be automatically added as a collaborator, but if you wouldn't like to be added, please mention it in your submission. People who have PRs merged have been added as collaborators.

The Guide

This is our attempt at starting a community style guide for the Elixir programming language. Please feel free to make pull requests and contribute. We really want Elixir to have as vibrant of a community as any language that's been around five times as long.

If you're looking for other projects to contribute to please see the Hex package manager site.

Source Code Layout

Use two spaces per indentation level. No hard tabs.

# not preferred - four spaces
def some_function do
    do_something
end

# preferred
def some_function do
  do_something
end

Use Unix-style line endings (*BSD/Solaris/Linux/OSX users are covered by default, Windows users have to be extra careful).
If you're using Git you might want to add the following configuration setting to protect your project from Windows line endings creeping in:
```
$ git config --global core.autocrlf true
```
Use spaces around operators, after commas, colons and semicolons. Do not put spaces around matched pairs like brackets, parentheses, etc. Whitespace might be (mostly) irrelevant to the Elixir runtime, but its proper use is the key to writing easily readable code.
```
sum = 1 + 2
{a, b} = {2, 3}
Enum.map(["one", <<"two">>, "three"], fn num -> IO.puts num end)
```

Use empty lines between defs and to break up a function into logical paragraphs.

def some_function(some_data) do
  altered_data = Module.function(data)
end

def some_function do
  result
end

def some_other_function do
  another_result
end

def a_longer_function do
  one
  two

  three
  four
end

...but run single-line defs that match for the same function together.

def some_function(nil), do: {:err, "No Value"}
def some_function([]), do: :ok
def some_function([first|rest]) do
  some_function(rest)
end

If you use the do: syntax with functions and the line that makes up the function body is long, put the do: on a new line indented one level more than the previous line.

def some_function(args),
  do: Enum.map(args, fn(arg) -> arg <> " is on a very long line!" end)

When you use the convention above and you have more than one function clause using the do: syntax, put the do: on a new line for each function clause:

# not preferred
def some_function([]), do: :empty
def some_function(_),
  do: :very_long_line_here

# preferred
def some_function([]),
  do: :empty
def some_function(_),
  do: :very_long_line_here

If you have more than one multi-line defs do not use single-line defs.

def some_function(nil) do
  {:err, "No Value"}
end

def some_function([]) do
  :ok
end

def some_function([first|rest]) do
  some_function(rest)
end

def some_function([first|rest], opts) do
  some_function(rest, opts)
end

Use the pipeline operator (|>) to chain functions together.

# not preferred
String.strip(String.downcase(some_string))

# preferred
some_string |> String.downcase |> String.strip

# Multiline pipelines are not further indented
some_string
|> String.downcase
|> String.strip

# Multiline pipelines on the right side of a pattern match
# should be indented on a newline
sanitized_string =
  some_string
  |> String.downcase
  |> String.strip

While this is the preferred method, take into account that copy-pasting multiline pipelines into IEx might result in a syntax error, as IEx will evaluate the first line without realizing that the next line has a pipeline.

Use bare variables in the first part of a function chain.

# THE WORST!
# This actually parses as String.strip("nope" |> String.downcase).
String.strip "nope" |> String.downcase

# not preferred
String.strip(some_string) |> String.downcase |> String.codepoints

# preferred
some_string |> String.strip |> String.downcase |> String.codepoints

Avoid trailing whitespace.

Syntax

Use parentheses when you have arguments, no parentheses when you don't.

# not preferred
def some_function arg1, arg2 do
  # body omitted
end

def some_function() do
  # body omitted
end

# preferred
def some_function(arg1, arg2) do
  # body omitted
end

def some_function do
  # body omitted
end

Never use do: for multi-line if/unless.

# not preferred
if some_condition, do:
  # a line of code
  # another line of code
  # note no end in this block

# preferred
if some_condition do
  # some
  # lines
  # of code
end

Use do: for single line if/unless statements.

# preferred
if some_condition, do: # some_stuff

Never use unless with else. Rewrite these with the positive case first.

# not preferred
unless success? do
  IO.puts 'failure'
else
  IO.puts 'success'
end

# preferred
if success? do
  IO.puts 'success'
else
  IO.puts 'failure'
end

Always use true as the last condition of a cond statement.

cond do
  1 + 2 == 5 ->
    "Nope"
  1 + 3 == 5 ->
    "Uh, uh"
  true ->
    "OK"
end

Never put a space between a function name and the opening parenthesis.
```
# not preferred
f (3 + 2) + 1

# preferred
f(3 + 2) + 1
```

Use parentheses in function calls, especially inside a pipeline.

# not preferred
f 3

# preferred
f(3)

# not preferred and parses as rem(2, (3 |> g)), which is not what you want.
2 |> rem 3 |> g

# preferred
2 |> rem(3) |> g

Omit parentheses in macro calls when a do block is passed.

# not preferred
quote(do
  foo
end)

# preferred
quote do
  foo
end

Optionally omit parentheses in function calls (outside a pipeline) when the last argument is a function expression.

# preferred
Enum.reduce(1..10, 0, fn x, acc ->
  x + acc
end)

# also preferred
Enum.reduce 1..10, 0, fn x, acc ->
  x + acc
end

Use parentheses for calls to functions with zero arity, so they can be distinguished from variables.

defp do_stuff, do: ...

# not preferred
def my_func do
  do_stuff # is this a variable or a function call
end

# preferred
def my_func do
  do_stuff() # this is clearly a function call
end

Naming

Use snake_case for atoms, functions and variables.

# not preferred
:"some atom"
:SomeAtom
:someAtom

someVar = 5

def someFunction do
  ...
end

def SomeFunction do
 ...
end

# preferred
:some_atom

some_var = 5

def some_function do
  ...
end

Use CamelCase for modules (keep acronyms like HTTP, RFC, XML uppercase).

# not preferred
defmodule Somemodule do
  ...
end

defmodule Some_Module do
  ...
end

defmodule SomeXml do
  ...
end

# preferred
defmodule SomeModule do
  ...
end

defmodule SomeXML do
  ...
end

The names of predicate macros (compile-time generated functions that return a boolean value) that can be used within guards should be prefixed with is_. For a list of allowed expressions, see Expressions in Guard Clauses.
```
defmacro is_cool(var) do
  quote do: unquote(var) == "cool"
end
```
The names of predicate functions that cannot be used within guards should have a trailing question mark (?) rather than the is_ (or similar) prefix.
```
def cool?(var) do
  # Complex check if var is cool not possible in a pure function.
end
```

Private functions with the same name as public functions should start with do_.

def sum(list), do: do_sum(list, 0)

# private functions
defp do_sum([], total), do: total
defp do_sum([head|tail], total), do: do_sum(tail, head + total)

Comments

Write self-documenting code and ignore the rest of this section. Seriously!
Use one space between the leading # character of the comment and the text of the comment.
Comments longer than a word are capitalized and use punctuation. Use one space after periods.
```
# not preferred
String.upcase(some_string) # Capitalize string.
```

Comment Annotations

Annotations should usually be written on the line immediately above the relevant code.
The annotation keyword is followed by a colon and a space, then a note describing the problem.
If multiple lines are required to describe the problem, subsequent lines should be indented two spaces after the #.
In cases where the problem is so obvious that any documentation would be redundant, annotations may be left at the end of the offending line with no note. This usage should be the exception and not the rule.
Use TODO to note missing features or functionality that should be added at a later date.
Use FIXME to note broken code that needs to be fixed.
Use OPTIMIZE to note slow or inefficient code that may cause performance problems.
Use HACK to note code smells where questionable coding practices were used and should be refactored away.
Use REVIEW to note anything that should be looked at to confirm it is working as intended. For example: REVIEW: Are we sure this is how the client does X currently?
Use other custom annotation keywords if it feels appropriate, but be sure to document them in your project's README or similar.

Modules

Use one module per file unless the module is only used internally by another module (such as a test).

Use underscored file names for CamelCase module names.

# file is called some_module.ex

defmodule SomeModule do
end

Represent each level of nesting within a module name as a directory.

# file is called parser/core/xml_parser.ex

defmodule Parser.Core.XMLParser do
end

No newline after defmodule.
No newline before first function def.
Newline after "module-level-code-blocks".

List module attributes and directives in the following order:

@moduledoc
@behaviour
use
import
alias
require
@type
@module_attribute

And, if you're really a perfectionist, sub-sort by alphabetical order. Here's an overall example of how you should order things in your modules:

defmodule MyModule do
  @moduledoc """
  An example module
  """

  @behaviour MyBehaviour

  use GenServer
  import Something
  import SomethingElse
  alias My.Long.Module.Name
  alias My.Other.Module.Name
  require Integer

  @type params :: [{binary, binary}]

  @module_attribute :foo
  @other_attribute 100

  ...
end

Documentation

Documentation in Elixir (when read either in iex with h or generated with ExDoc) uses the [Module Attributes](
http://elixir-lang.org/getting-started/module-attributes.html#as-annotations) @moduledoc and @doc.

Always include a @moduledoc attribute in the line right after defmodule in your module.

# not preferred

defmodule SomeModule do

  @moduledoc """
  About the module
  """
  ...
end

defmodule AnotherModule do
  use SomeModule
  @moduledoc """
  About the module
  """
  ...
end

# preferred

defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc """
  About the module
  """
  ...
end

Use @moduledoc false if you do not intend on documenting the module.
```
defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc false
  ...
end
```

Separate code after the @moduledoc with a new line.

# not preferred

defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc """
  About the module
  """
  use AnotherModule
end

# preferred
defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc """
  About the module
  """

  use AnotherModule
end

Use heredocs with markdown for documentation.

# not preferred

defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc "About the module"
end

defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc """
  About the module

  Examples:
  iex> SomeModule.some_function
  :result
  """
end

# preferred
defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc """
  About the module

  ## Examples

      iex> SomeModule.some_function
      :result
  """
end

Typespecs

Typespecs are notation for declaring types and specifications, for documentation or for the static analysis tool Dialyzer.

Custom types should be defined at the top of the module with the other directives (see Modules).

Place @typedoc and @type definitions together, and separate each pair with a blank line.

defmodule SomeModule do
  @moduledoc false

  @typedoc "The name"
  @type name :: atom

  @typedoc "The result"
  @type result :: {:ok, term} | {:error, term}

  ...
end

If a union type is too long to fit on a single line, add a newline and indent with spaces to keep the return types aligned.

# not preferred - no indentation
@type long_union_type :: some_type | another_type | some_other_type
| a_final_type

# preferred
@type long_union_type :: some_type | another_type | some_other_type
                       | a_final_type

# also preferred - one return type per line
@type long_union_type :: some_type
                       | another_type
                       | some_other_type
                       | a_final_type

Place specifications right before the function definition, separated by a newline.

@spec some_function(term) :: result
def some_function(some_data) do
  {:ok, some_data}
end

Exceptions

Make exception names end with a trailing Error.

# not preferred
defmodule BadHTTPCode do
  defexception [:message]
end

defmodule BadHTTPCodeException do
  defexception [:message]
end

# preferred
defmodule BadHTTPCodeError do
  defexception [:message]
end

Use lowercase error messages when raising exceptions, with no trailing punctuation.

# not preferred
raise ArgumentError, "This is not valid."

# preferred
raise ArgumentError, "this is not valid"

Collections

No guidelines for collections have been added yet.

Strings

Match strings using the string concatenator rather than binary patterns:

# not preferred
<<"my"::utf8, _rest>> = "my string"

# preferred
"my" <> _rest = "my string"

Regular Expressions

No guidelines for regular expressions have been added yet.

Metaprogramming

Avoid needless metaprogramming.

Suggested Alternatives

Suggested alternatives are styles that haven't been seen much in the community yet but might provide some value.

Cond

An atom can be used as a catch-all expression in a cond as it evaluates to a truthy value. Suggested atoms are :else or :otherwise

cond do
  1 + 2 == 5 ->
    "Nope"
  1 + 3 == 5 ->
    "Uh, uh"
  :else ->
    "OK"
end

# is the same as
cond do
  1 + 2 == 5 ->
    "Nope"
  1 + 3 == 5 ->
    "Uh, uh"
  true ->
    "OK"
end

Tools

No tools have been added yet.

Getting Involved

Contributing

It's our hope that this will become a central hub for community discussion on best practices in Elixir. Feel free to open tickets or send pull requests with improvements. Thanks in advance for your help!

Spread the Word

A community style guide is meaningless without the community's support. Please tweet, star, and let any Elixir programmer know about this guide so they can contribute.

Copying

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

Attribution

The structure of this guide, bits of example code, and many of the initial points made in this document were borrowed from the Ruby community style guide. A lot of things were applicable to Elixir and allowed us to get some document out quicker to start the conversation.

Here's the list of people who has kindly contributed to this project.

Provide feedback

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README.md

README.md

The Elixir Style Guide

Table of Contents

Prelude

The Guide

Source Code Layout

Syntax

Naming

Comments

Comment Annotations

Modules

Documentation

Typespecs

Exceptions

Collections

Strings

Regular Expressions

Metaprogramming

Suggested Alternatives

Cond

Tools

Getting Involved

Contributing

Spread the Word

Copying

License

Attribution

Files

README.md

Latest commit

History

README.md

File metadata and controls

The Elixir Style Guide

Table of Contents

Prelude

The Guide

Source Code Layout

Syntax

Naming

Comments

Comment Annotations

Modules

Documentation

Typespecs

Exceptions

Collections

Strings

Regular Expressions

Metaprogramming

Suggested Alternatives

Cond

Tools

Getting Involved

Contributing

Spread the Word

Copying

License

Attribution