Question 1

How to enforce the Elixir style guide automatically?

Accepted Answer

Use Elixir's built-in Mix format task with a .formatter.exs file for basic rules, and integrate linters like Credo for additional checks. The guide's Tools section lists resources for automation.

Question 2

Elixir style guide vs Credo's style guide: which is better?

Accepted Answer

This guide is more comprehensive and community-focused, covering broader conventions, while Credo's is tool-specific and may be stricter. Choose based on whether you need general best practices or integrated linting rules.

Question 3

How to write good documentation in Elixir modules?

Accepted Answer

Use @moduledoc and @doc with heredocs and markdown, include examples in code blocks, and place documentation right after defmodule. The Documentation section provides specific formatting examples.

Question 4

What are the rules for naming Elixir predicate functions?

Accepted Answer

Functions returning booleans should end with '?', like cool?(), and guard-compatible checks should start with 'is_', as detailed in the Naming section with code snippets.

Question 5

How to structure Elixir modules for clarity?

Accepted Answer

Follow the module attribute ordering (e.g., @moduledoc first, then use, import), use one module per file, and avoid repetitive names. The Modules section gives a step-by-step example.

Question 6

Does the Elixir formatter apply all style guide rules?

Accepted Answer

No, the formatter only handles formatting rules like whitespace and indentation; other best practices on naming, documentation, and testing require manual or tool-assisted enforcement.

Question 7

How to handle exceptions and errors in Elixir code?

Accepted Answer

Name exceptions with a trailing 'Error', use lowercase messages without punctuation, and raise them appropriately. The Exceptions section outlines these conventions with examples.

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