Overview
Phoenix is a web framework built with Elixir that leverages the power of the Erlang VM (BEAM) to deliver high-performance, real-time web applications with exceptional fault tolerance and concurrency.
What You’ll Learn
- Phoenix Framework Basics - MVC architecture, routing, controllers, and views
- LiveView - Building real-time, interactive UIs without JavaScript
- Ecto Database Layer - Schema definitions, queries, migrations, and changesets
- Channels & PubSub - Real-time bidirectional communication
- Deployment - Production deployment strategies for Phoenix applications
- OTP Principles - Supervision trees, GenServers, and fault tolerance
Platform Characteristics
Real-Time by Default
Phoenix includes first-class support for real-time features through Channels and LiveView. Build interactive, low-latency applications that push updates to clients instantly without complex JavaScript frameworks.
Fault-Tolerant Architecture
Built on the Erlang VM, Phoenix applications inherit decades of battle-tested fault tolerance patterns. Processes crash and restart automatically, ensuring your application stays available even under failure conditions.
Scalability & Performance
The BEAM VM’s lightweight processes and efficient scheduling enable Phoenix to handle millions of concurrent connections on a single server. Horizontal scaling is straightforward with distributed Erlang clustering.
Developer Productivity
Phoenix provides a productive development experience with code reloading, comprehensive testing tools, and a clear MVC structure. LiveView enables building rich UIs with minimal JavaScript.
Getting Started
Phoenix development follows this typical progression:
- Environment Setup - Install Elixir, Phoenix, and PostgreSQL
- Core Concepts - Routes, controllers, templates, and contexts
- Database Integration - Ecto schemas, migrations, and queries
- Real-Time Features - Channels for WebSocket communication
- LiveView Applications - Server-rendered interactive UIs
- Production Deployment - Release management and deployment
Common Use Cases
- Real-Time Dashboards - Live data visualization and monitoring
- Chat Applications - Instant messaging and collaboration tools
- Trading Platforms - Low-latency financial applications
- IoT Backends - Managing thousands of connected devices
- Gaming Servers - Multiplayer game backends
- Collaborative Tools - Real-time document editing and collaboration
Next Steps
Explore the tutorials section to start building with Phoenix, from initial setup through advanced real-time features and production deployment strategies.