For a couple years now, web developers have been actively discussing a new programming language called Elixir and its most popular Phoenix framework. Elixir vs. Ruby and Phoenix vs. Rails are among the favorite topics because Elixir has sparked the greatest interest in the community of Ruby developers.
Elixir Language: Functional Approach to Programming
Elixir is a functional language, which is different from the majority of object-oriented languages for web development. Functional programming means that it is possible to write accurate, but shorter code. On the other hand, it is considered to be a niche language that is difficult to get used to.
Elixir development is a reasonable choice for big web apps because it runs on Erlang Virtual Machine. So, it has all the features of the Erlang platform that has been around for years and has proven to be a reliable solution for scalable applications.
Phoenix is the most popular web framework. It is built with Elixir and is used for Elixir web development. This framework is based on the MVC architecture. It is very fast and maintainable, which makes its popularity grow quickly.
Ruby and Ruby on Rails: Why So Popular
Ruby is an interpreted and object-oriented programming language which main purpose is to create simple and understandable web apps. Fast development, clarity, and syntax simplicity in Ruby are more important than the running speed of an app.
Ruby on Rails framework has influenced web development globally. The framework introduced a set of features that helped to increase the speed of app development. Additionally, it contributed to Ruby’s mission to make programmers happy.
The framework continues to actively grow, but its main principles remain unchanged. The code is built in Ruby and is based on MVC programming architecture.
Elixir Programming vs. Ruby Programming
Pros of Ruby
- Productivity
- Developers’ happiness
- Large ecosystem
- Clean syntax
- Ruby on Rails
Ruby Cons
- Maintainability
- Performance
- Concurrency
- Scaling
- Lack of developers
Advantages of Elixir
- Elixir belongs to the Erlang VM languages
- Elixir is a functional programming language
- Performance
- Open Telecom Platform (OTP)
- Fault tolerance
- Scalability
- Concurrency
- Exhaustive documentation
Disadvantages of Elixir
- Elixir functional programming
- Small talent pool
- Immature ecosystem
Elixir vs. Ruby is not a complicated question if analyzed carefully. Our research shows that there is no need to contrast these languages so strictly.
Elixir with its Phoenix, and Ruby with its Rails, do have differences, but these differences are not that critical. In the past, when there was no Elixir, Ruby was the best programming language for web development. Now, we have two good back-end programming languages to choose from.
This article gives you a complete understanding of Elixir and Ruby web programming languages and how they should be better utilized.