How to handle file uploads in Maru?

Maru supports file uploads via the 'type: File' parameter in the validation DSL, integrated with Plug's multipart parser. In the README, 'optional :avatar, type: File' shows how to define file parameters, and you need to configure 'parsers: [:multipart]' in Plug.Parsers.

Maru vs Phoenix for APIs: which is better?

Maru is better for lightweight, DSL-focused RESTful APIs with built-in validation and modular routing, while Phoenix suits full-stack apps needing real-time features, templating, and a broader ecosystem. Choose Maru if you prioritize API-specific conventions over Phoenix's comprehensive tooling.

Does Maru support API versioning?

Yes, Maru supports API versioning through its modular routing system. You can use namespaces to group endpoints by version, making it easy to maintain and deprecate versions, as implied by the 'namespace' DSL in the examples.

Can I use Maru with GraphQL?

No, Maru is designed for REST-like APIs and doesn't natively support GraphQL. For GraphQL in Elixir, you'd need separate libraries like Absinthe, which might not integrate smoothly with Maru's DSL and validation features.

How to add authentication middleware in Maru?

Authentication can be added using Plug middleware in Maru's 'before' blocks. For example, you can plug a custom authentication module similar to 'plug Plug.Logger' in the README, leveraging Elixir's Plug ecosystem for secure request handling.

Is Maru good for microservices?

Yes, Maru is ideal for microservices due to its lightweight, modular design and seamless integration with Elixir's concurrency features. It allows building scalable, well-structured APIs with built-in validation and error handling, reducing boilerplate in distributed systems.

maru — REST-Like Elixir Micro-Framework

What is maru?

Maru is a REST-like API micro-framework for Elixir, inspired by Ruby's Grape framework. It provides a Domain-Specific Language (DSL) for building modular, versioned, and well-structured RESTful APIs with built-in features like parameter validation and error handling. The framework integrates seamlessly with the Elixir ecosystem, leveraging Plug and Cowboy for HTTP handling, making it ideal for developing scalable microservices and web applications.

Target Audience

Elixir developers building RESTful APIs, particularly those focused on creating scalable microservices or web applications that require modular organization, versioning, and robust parameter validation. It suits teams seeking a convention-over-configuration approach similar to Ruby's Grape framework.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Maru for its clean, declarative DSL that reduces boilerplate while offering powerful built-in features like parameter validation with types and constraints, modular routing for reusable endpoints, and centralized error handling. Its seamless integration with Elixir's Plug and Cowboy ensures reliability and leverages the language's concurrency and fault-tolerance strengths.

Elixir RESTful Framework

Use Cases

Best For

Building scalable microservices in Elixir that require modular and versioned API endpoints.
Developing RESTful APIs with strict parameter validation, including type checking, value ranges, and custom constraints.
Organizing large API codebases into reusable modules using mountable routers and namespaces.
Implementing centralized error handling with rescue_from macros for consistent error responses across an API.
Integrating Plug middleware for request/response processing or static file serving within an API framework.
Creating APIs that need flexible JSON configuration with support for libraries like Jason.

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring real-time features like WebSockets or GraphQL support out of the box
Teams already using Phoenix for full-stack development where API-specific frameworks add unnecessary overlap
Simple API prototypes where the overhead of Maru's DSL and OTP configuration isn't justified

Pros & Cons

Pros

Declarative Parameter Validation

Maru's DSL allows defining parameters with types, constraints, and custom validation, as shown in the README with examples like 'requires :age, type: Integer, values: 18..65' and 'exactly_one_of [:avatar, :avatar_url]' for complex rules.

Modular Routing System

APIs can be organized into reusable namespaces and mountable modules, enabling clean separation of concerns, demonstrated by 'namespace :user do' and 'mount Router.User' in the example code.

Centralized Error Handling

Built-in rescue_from macros allow handling exceptions consistently across the API, with examples for specific errors like 'Unauthorized' and fallbacks for all errors, reducing boilerplate.

Seamless Plug Integration

Maru leverages Elixir's Plug middleware ecosystem for request processing, as seen with 'plug Plug.Logger' and configurable parsers, making it easy to extend functionality.

Cons

Configuration Overhead

Setup requires multiple steps: adding dependencies, configuring the server in mix.exs and Application, and integrating with OTP, which can be complex compared to simpler frameworks.

Pre-1.0 Stability Risks

With version '~> 0.14', Maru is still in development, and users may face breaking changes between releases, as noted by the lack of a stable 1.0 release.

Niche Ecosystem Limitations

As a smaller framework inspired by Ruby's Grape, Maru has fewer community extensions and third-party integrations compared to Phoenix, potentially requiring more custom development for advanced features.

What is maru?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Building scalable microservices in Elixir that require modular and versioned API endpoints.
Developing RESTful APIs with strict parameter validation, including type checking, value ranges, and custom constraints.
Organizing large API codebases into reusable modules using mountable routers and namespaces.
Implementing centralized error handling with rescue_from macros for consistent error responses across an API.
Integrating Plug middleware for request/response processing or static file serving within an API framework.
Creating APIs that need flexible JSON configuration with support for libraries like Jason.

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring real-time features like WebSockets or GraphQL support out of the box
Teams already using Phoenix for full-stack development where API-specific frameworks add unnecessary overlap
Simple API prototypes where the overhead of Maru's DSL and OTP configuration isn't justified

Pros & Cons

Pros

Declarative Parameter Validation

Modular Routing System

APIs can be organized into reusable namespaces and mountable modules, enabling clean separation of concerns, demonstrated by 'namespace :user do' and 'mount Router.User' in the example code.

Centralized Error Handling

Built-in rescue_from macros allow handling exceptions consistently across the API, with examples for specific errors like 'Unauthorized' and fallbacks for all errors, reducing boilerplate.

Seamless Plug Integration

Maru leverages Elixir's Plug middleware ecosystem for request processing, as seen with 'plug Plug.Logger' and configurable parsers, making it easy to extend functionality.

Cons

Configuration Overhead

Setup requires multiple steps: adding dependencies, configuring the server in mix.exs and Application, and integrating with OTP, which can be complex compared to simpler frameworks.

Pre-1.0 Stability Risks

With version '~> 0.14', Maru is still in development, and users may face breaking changes between releases, as noted by the lack of a stable 1.0 release.

Niche Ecosystem Limitations

maru

What is maru?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

maru

What is maru?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?